​Check out what I've done by looking at these websites and get in touch if you'd like to learn more about having a unique website built for your property let.​ All the above were based on our "Professional" website package.

When I get approached to create a website for someone I find they appreciate having a clear plan of action laid out before them.  So, having now successfully built more than 50 websites, here is the simple process I generally follow to ensure a successful outcome to every project.

​Step 1 - Establish your requirements
Step 2 - Explain how I can help
Step 3 - Create a free draft website
Step 4 - Provide a clear written proposal and quote
Step 5 - Get the go ahead to proceed
Step 6 - Build your website
Step 7 - Publish your website live!
Step 8 - Carry out a proper website handover
Step 9 - Provide ongoing support

You can learn more about what each of these steps involves here.

As the number of consumers purchasing goods and services from the comfort of their own homes continues to increase it is not surprising that the process of setting up an online shop directly on your website is now easier than ever before - and also far less expensive than it used to be.

So would it make good business sense for you to start selling online? Well, let’s look at the maths. 

Start-up costs for an ecommerce website can be broken down as follows:

So working out whether it makes financial sense to have an ecommerce website is quite simple really. Assume a one-off website build cost of £400 and an annual ecommerce hosting cost of about £25 per month (£300 per year) then you’ve only got to sell goods or services yielding a nett profit of over £700 in year one to cover your costs. From year 2 onwards you’ve just got the hosting and PayPal costs to cover, so any sales that generate roughly more than £25 profit a month mean that you should be quids in!

And don't forget that you also end up with all the benefits of having your own website, which most consumers expect any respectable business to have in place these days to provide credibility to potential customers.

1. Make sure people can read your text easily!! Don’t go crazy with different styles of text and a range of colours. First and foremost make sure that there is good contrast between the text and the background and use an easy to read font style and size.  For most websites a dark coloured font on a white or pale background is the way to go.  Your website is not there to win artistic awards – it is designed to engage your visitors.

2. Make it immediately clear to your visitors that they are on the correct website. Make sure your name (or brand or organisation) clearly stands out. Repeat it in the header and footer of all web pages.

3. Don’t hit your visitors with masses of text at the beginning – make your Home page a signpost to more detailed content, and provide images or buttons as links to other, more detailed content.

4. Make sure your navigation system is clear and logical.  As well as providing a full menu system, provide plenty of other ways to allow your visitors to move between content, such as buttons, images or text links.

5. Make sure your website works equally well for visitors using mobile devices such as phones and tablet computers.  Google provide a free checking tool that allows you to check how “mobile-friendly” your website is rated.  Remember, more and more people are now using mobile devices to surf the web.

There are obviously many more things that go into making a website “user-friendly” but if you make sure that your website has the above basics covered at the very least, then you are off to a great start.

You can find more suggestions here:

www.martbarrett.co.uk/free-website-assessment.html

Here are the answers to a few of the common questions I get asked by people thinking of replacing their website with a brand new updated design.

​How long will it take to replace my existing website?
​The two things that affect the time-scale the most are the size of the website and how quickly you are able to provide us with the details of your requirements and approve changes.  A small website can be replaced within hours.

Can I keep my current website address or can I have a new one?
​The choice is yours.  We will initially develop your new website at a temporary website address (for your eyes only).  When you decide it is ready to replace your existing website we do the technical stuff so that your new website replaces your old one seamlessly.
 
You can also take the opportunity to have a brand new website address if you wish. We normally then set things up so that any traffic going to your old website address is automatically diverted to your new one.

Can I use all or some of my existing content on the replacement website?
Yes. We can re-use any text, images and graphics that you wish to keep.  We can also source new images and re-write your copy if required.  Alternatively totally new images and text can be incorporated. ​

Can I keep my existing email address?
Yes, if you want to.  We will advise you on best practice with regards to email addresses.  If you decide to change to a brand new website address then we can advise on the best plan with regards to handling old and new email addresses.

Once completed, will I be able to update my replacement website myself?
​Yes.  We will use a simple but powerful online website builder or CMS (Content Management System) to create your replacement website.  This means that you will be able to edit and update your website yourself instantly at any time, using any computer, tablet or mobile phone with internet access.  We can provide training should it be required.
 
We can also carry out future updates for you at a very economical cost.  We supply a detailed time-log of time spent (to the minute), and we provide this very affordable service to many existing customers.

Will my new website improve my search ranking on Google?
Most likely. All our websites are optimised as standard for search engines.  If your current website is not mobile-friendly then it is almost certainly being penalised by Google in terms of its search rankings.  Your new website will be mobile-friendly and meet modern standards.​

Will I get access to detailed site visitor statistics?
Yes.  A free Google Analytics account will be integrated into your replacement website and you will be provided with simple instructions on how to access your detailed site visitor statistics, including number of visits, web pages visited, how long was spent on each page, geographical location of site visitors, how people found your website and much more!

Can I link my new website to my social media accounts?
Yes.  We will incorporate links to any social media sites that you have such as Facebook and Twitter.

I’ve lost touch with my previous designer - is this a problem?
Normally not.  We can check the status of your existing domain and associated services and make sure that everything is correctly set-up and registered in your name.

Get a quote >

Having now completed several websites for Yoga teachers we are very keen to add to our portfolio.
  
​During October 2016, therefore, we are running an offer especially for Yoga teachers.​

According to the BBC news yesterday 16,000 new businesses were started in Birmingham alone last year.

You can bet your bottom dollar that many of them will have a website as a matter of course.

If YOUR new business doesn't have a website then the competition has one over on you.

Get yours sorted NOW - it will be the best investment you will ever make.

Request an information pack at www.martbarrett.co.uk

Today we have launched our Small Business Website starter package. Your very own website created for you and published for just £250.

An absolute must for any business or organisation that for whatever reason still has no website of its own. No computer or technical skills required, we'll do it all for you within a matter of days.

Get the ball rolling TODAY by requesting an information pack online at www.martbarrett.co.uk/starter-package.html