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Hitting on a common problem I have, and just need to talk it out a little bit on here so I can continue finding the right approach.
My brother Richard has an accounting firm in Hawaii, and my mom and her partner have an alternative health business I guess you'd call it. They both do well.
However they struggle with their web site and Internet presence. I have offered up to help before, but because I am busy or something else happens I don't deliver. This was back more when I had my web development business with my ex-wife.
They have the same basic need, but slightly different scenarios. First of all one is a service based business and the other is a product / service based business.
My mom's and her partner have been trying to get a web site up forever now and just having the worst time getting reliable developers that can get the job done. They have spent a lot of money and no actual web site.
My brother Rick is with a service provider he just doesn't like, and they make really easy things difficult he says.
So I want to help. My job takes up most of my time, so I can't do the work for them. Also in my career I specialize in the planning, design and managing the development of technology based companies. So I need to find away I can contribute.
First problem I always see is business owners just want it done. They are too busy or technically challenged to get involved with the details. They just want it done. I can sympathize with this.
However I am a big advocate of as much involvement by the business owner. So they understand the scope and can help set goals.
Most people just want a weg site, however it goes so much deeper than that, they need:
- Web Site
- Blog
- Office Collaboration Systems
- Online Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Online Advertising
- IT Infrastructure
My mom and brother both own small businesses, so where do they start? They can' t afford a whole department or even a full time person to do this. So what can we do?
They are busy. I am busy.
They have knowledge of their businesses, and I have knowledge of the technology.
So we need to sit down and map out a strategy for each of their businesses. Figure out priorities, goals, and budgets. Help them understand the complexities and how to simplify their goals so something that gets done, and help me understand their frustrations and the intricacies of their businesses.
Then we with a strategy we can figure out the next steps....
