Start - CyberSky

STEP 1

Choose your domain name

A domain name is your address on the internet such as www.yourbiz.com. Think of a name for your company that is short and clear. If your name is too long or too complicated, the chances are people are going to type it in wrong or forget how to spell it. Right down 2 or 3 choices, as the first one your like may not be available. While you are brainstorming, consider the following:

Stick with .com or .ca – they are by far the most widely accepted extension. Some other good choices are .net, .org, .info and .biz. Pick the extension that best suites your business.
One possible spelling – make it easy for visitors to remember by choosing a name without a confusing spelling. Does it pass the phone test? If you were to say the name over the phone to a friend, can they spell it correctly the first time without you having to intervene?
Short is better – it is easier to remember, easier to type and easier for your visitors to tell others about your domain name.
Appeal – can you see your domain name in a commercial or on a billboard? Does it look professional? Does the name flow easy in a conversation?
Avoid hyphens, numerals and slang – they are harder to remember and zero can be mistaken for the letter o.
Copyright issues – your name should be unique. Try searching for your preferred name on the internet to see what comes up.
Use a thesauras – open www.thesauras.com and put in the descriptive words that best describes your company and see what synonyms come up.
Brainstorm with a friend! – run some ideas through friends and family to see what they like or dislike about the name. They may think of things you never considered or they may offer some alternative suggestions.

STEP 2

Make some sketches

What do you envision your website to look like? Sketch on some paper what you think you would like, keeping in mind the following: a main title area, menu, columns, a main content section, images and a footer. Try to answer the following:

Do you need a logo and slogan created?
How many pages do you anticipate?
What information do you want to include? Remember simple, less is more! Who, what, why, when and where.
Who is your target audience?
What colors would you like for your website? The following link will take you to the list of “websafe” colors to ensure you pick the colors that will look the same across all computers: www.websitegear.com
What phrase best describes your “style” and “feel” of your website: fun, corporate, warm or cool, high-tech, simple, bright, clean, colorful.
Do you like rounded corners or sharp edges?
Will you supply your own images or do you need us to supply them?
Do you need any interactive features: animation, sound, a shopping cart, forms, blog etc…
What other websites inspire you? Browse the internet to get some ideas. Take notes of the design elements you like and dislike.
Will you require us to host your website and direct traffic to it?
What are your maintenance needs? How often do you plan on changing the content on your site?
Already have a website? No problem! We can incorporate some of your previous design elements/content into a new site to give it a refreshed look!

STEP 3

Website Content

During the previous planning stages you would have considered how many pages you want your website to contain. Now it’s time to enter the content of those pages. Here is some suggested content for the following main website pages:

Home Page – A home page should convey a strong message to your visitors as this may be the only page they visit. It should provide enough information to keep your visitors engaged and wanting to read more about your business.
About Us – Who are you? How did your company start? This is your biography page, a place to tell others about your beginnings, your education, your expertise, your best qualities, your strengths and abilities. Reflect on your values, goals and mission. Where do you see yourself and your company in the future? This page is all about you and your company, your time to shine!
Products & Services – Tell us about your products or the services you have to offer.
Contact Page – What are your business hours? What days of the week are you open? Stat holidays? Include your name, phone, fax, email and address information. Will you require a contact form?

STEP 4

Discussion with a CyberSky consultant

A design representative will contact you to discuss your ideas and provide a quote. If you wish to proceed with the construction stage of your website, a 50% non-refundable deposit will be required to proceed which will be deducted from the final balance of your website.

Within a pre-determined time frame, we will submit a sample website for you. This is a “test” site which is not yet live, a place where you can view the progress and continuously provide suggestions and feedback until you are satisfied. Your feedback is encouraged to ensure we are heading towards your vision. We will work together throughout this entire process, discuss your likes & dislikes and you are free to make as many changes as you feel necessary until a layout meets your approval. It is critical at this stage to get the layout exactly how you envision it as it will be your template to build the content portion of your site.

When you are 100% happy with the site we will set up hosting services, plan the launch date and arrange payment of the final balance. You will need a place to park your site so people can find it. That’s where hosting comes in. When we host your site, we store your files and provide bandwidth so visitors can access your site. Be assured your site will be in safe hands!