Web Design    

Before even looking at any other mistakes, this is by far the most important mistake to overcome, it is also the hardest to overcome. Many successful business owners are from a generation that did not have to deal with the internet. It has in some ways taken everyone by surprise with its success.

"The Internet? We are not interested in it"
-- Bill Gates, 1993

It is human nature to avoid or dismiss subjects that we do not understand. It is also understandable, after all you've got this far without a web site, why would you need it now?

The important thing to understand is that having a professionally created business website will increase your client base, it will assist your current client base and it will improve your overall image as a business.
I suspect that if you are reading this you already have a fairly open attitude to letting a professionally designed web site work for you.
What you cannot do is go into this half hearted, spending half what you should, trying to take shortcuts, because you don't think its going to work anyway. If that is the way you feel about it, don't go any further because it will be a waste of time.
You need to be positive and enthusiastic about a project that is going to launch your business to new heights, now lets get down to the mistakes and pitfalls you need to avoid to get there.

No doubt!, but get a professional to build your website

Unfortunately if you browse through the Adelaide yellow pages you will find far more bad quality web sites and few that have been built by professional web designers. These businesses spend thousands and thousands of dollars on the printed yellow pages advert, brochures, mail outs, newspaper adverts, business cards, all to obtain a professional image, and then get someone on work experience to create their business web site. This sends such a poor message about your company to prospective clients. While its sometimes hard to pick exactly what makes a bad web site, everyone knows when they are visiting one.

To give you an example of the damaging effect a poorly designed web site can have on potential clients, a while back I was in the market for a new kitchen. I had been given a recommendation of a fantastic cabinet maker from Mt Barker. I was given their web site and eagerly looked it up.
What I saw next was an abomination, it looked as if it had been put together by a rank amateur and one without any talent to boot.
Even though I had received a word of mouth recommendation which is probably the most powerful form of marketing there is. Once I saw the website it gave me second thoughts, it crossed my mind that maybe their lack of detail and professionalism given to their website would be reflected in their kitchen cabinets.

On one hand I had received word of mouth, but on the other an example of their handy work was right in front of me, and it did not look good. As a direct result of their poorly designed website, they lost a potential client.

Don't be cheap, spend money on a proper domain name, pay for web hosting in Australia, preferably in Adelaide, although any of the capital cities on the eastern seaboard will do. Many people get their hosting done in the U.S. however there are a number of reasons not to do this, pay a few extra dollars for local hosting, its worth it. All of this should not cost more than $45 per month for a website based on business grade services compared to $15 per month for a dogs breakfast that nobody will visit.

Here are some examples of poor website design:

Poor web site design 1
Poor web site design 2
Poor website design 3