Once you have laid out all the aspects of your company's website project, including the setting of Internet objectives and strategies, you are ready to act on your content plan and implementation plan. It is time to start building the website.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) provides the basis for selecting the website developer who will implement your company's website project. An RFP is an evolved version of an implementation plan that includes information requested from vendors to aid in selection.

An implementation plan is an evolved content plan that includes the following: scope, timeline and budget for your company's website development project.

A content plan is the blueprint for your website project. It identifies the objectives and strategies of your site. It defines who the website needs to reach and the information that needs to be included for the site to be effective.

When developing a company website project, consider how website strategies are used to achieve Internet objectives. Formulating the proper strategy to achieve an Internet objective requires an examination of your target market, available technology, and the rationale for the proposed strategy as it relates to alternatives, cost and support requirements.

Your objectives represent the projected impact your website project will have on customer behavior and perception. These objectives identify how you plan to use the Internet to support or achieve some of the specific communication goals and marketing efforts you've identified.

The development plan for your company's website can be broken into five phases:

When developing your company's website, it may be wise to step back and take a "macro" view of your customers and the Internet experience.

The centerpiece of your Internet Marketing efforts is your company's website. A decade ago, discussions of whether an organization needed a website or whether it should be viewed as a marketing tool were common. As Internet use increased among target markets at the turn of the century, discussion changed to how prospective customers were using the Internet.

Embracing online customers is more a matter of commitment and strategy than financial expenditure. It does not need to be expensive to reach online customers effectively. Using a market-led approach to Internet marketing, you can build an effective website and attract customers through various Internet-based marketing tactics.

Every business owner should develop a written guideline that sets forth the business's marketing strategy. This document is used to judge the appropriateness of each action that the business takes. If a company has to take an action that is off-strategy, it may indicate a temporary emergency action prompted by competition or other factors beyond normal management control. Or it may indicate the need to change or revise the company's marketing strategy.