“Here’s Your Website. Have A Nice Day!”  Often my clients say those were the final words they heard from the company that built their website. It left them frustrated with a website they didn’t know how to update to stay relevant as their business grew and changed.

As you begin the process of narrowing down which company you choose to create your website, the first action I recommend taking is gaining clarity on what your short and long-term goals are.

If you’re simply buying a website:

• A web vendor’s selection is based on short-term requirements like design, price, and timing. The goals are to maximize quality and minimize immediate costs.

If you are seeking a web partner:

• A web partner selection is based on long-term requirements like client service, web marketing consulting, website support, technical maintenance, and website uptime. The goal is to maximize the benefits for the life of the website.

A decision based on long-term benefit will result in your website’s value appreciating over time.  A decision based on short-term benefit could result in a stagnant website and require higher service and maintenance fees to maintain.

As you may or may not know, I grew up in a small town in Iowa where my family runs an auto service and Ford dealership.  I grew up around Fords, and I’ll probably drive one forever.  I bring that up because I’m quite fond of what Ford Motor Company has done for our country and the world, and I want to share a story about its original founder, Henry Ford.

This is an excerpt from my new book, Websites For People:

Henry Ford is one of the most well-known figures for believing in the long-term goals of his generation.

In 1896, Ford attended a meeting with Edison executives, where he was introduced to Thomas Edison.  With the encouragement of Edison, Ford designed and built his second automobile in 1898.  Then in 1899 Henry Ford started his first company, the Detroit Automobile Company.  That company would eventually fail, and his second company, Henry Ford Company, would form in 1901.  When a new investor joined in 1902 Henry Ford left that company too.

The problem with Ford’s first two companies was the low quality – high cost of the automobiles produced.  Ford’s third attempt at building a successful automobile company was Ford Motor Company.  Henry Ford had a long-term vision for his company and he wasn’t willing to compromise for short-term benefits.

“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one — and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.” – Henry Ford (My Life and Work, 1922)

Considering the post-life value of your automobile made Henry Ford one of the most famous men in American history and in the world.

Back in the early 1900’s there was a lot of competition to build an automobile.  Almost anyone could declare themselves an expert and do it.  Almost anyone could satisfy the short-term goal of building a machine that would get you from point A to point B.

Great web design partners differentiate themselves from other web building companies by providing services and resources dedicated to supporting the long-term business goals of your company for the life of your website.

We are approaching the last quarter of 2017.  As you think about the short and long term goals of your new website I encourage you to think about how your business can best communicate with and serve your customers and community in 2018 and beyond.

Contact Personable Media about partnering up to build your website today.