Australasian Leisure Management
Australasia's Leisure Industry Magazine
www.ausleisure.com.auMarch/April 2008 - On the Web
Sue Wickenden explains how all leisure industry organisations can get an online presence.
It's something that all internet marketing experts agree on; organisations without an online presence are missing a great opportunity to attract new business, members and/or clients. There is no exception in the leisure industry for organisations that want to extend their activities. Successful leisure organisations need a comprehensive website and need to use online marketing tools to communicate with their employees, members and fans; from sporadic information emails to regular extensive e-communications. While larger organisations can spend an excessive amount of money on online communication this does not rule small-to-medium organisations out of the game as technologies to manage website and online marketing campaigns are now available at a reasonable cost.
With a little searching, organisations can access a wide choice of web content management systems and internet marketing tools that can meet the requirements for the 'one man band' or business with hundreds of employees.
When planning the production of a website or e-newsletter the process can be a smooth or bumpy ride depending on how much homework organisations do at the start. Undertaking an online strategy is like any other project, it requires a sound knowledge of the process, a realistic understanding of the outcome, and a champion within your organisation to nurture and manage it. By following this simple six-step process I believe organisations can take control and hopefully enjoy a simple, trouble free path to a great end result.
Step 1 - The Champion
Finding a 'champion' within an organisation to manage the project is the first critical step to ensuring a successful outcome. Usually this person will be found within the marketing department but smaller organisations without this resource will choose a team member who has a passion for design and gets a buzz from using the internet. Remember, attitude is just as important as ability. Choose a person who wants to do this, rather than one who has to.
Step 2 - The Brief
The champion will be responsible for putting together the brief for a web developer and liaising internally to ensure that all business criteria are met with the full support from their team. A good brief will consist of a set of questions and answers.
Who do we want to visit our website? What information will they be looking for? What is in it for the visitor? What do we want them to be able to do on the website? What is the call to action? How will we measure if the project is a success? How do we get visitors to keep coming back?
It is helpful to supply the web developer with a list of information about competitors, what we like and dislike about their online communications, what websites grab our attention and why, domain name ideas and a sitemap.
A sitemap is like a family tree, at the top will be the first page of your website (homepage) and nested directly underneath will be the pages that link directly off the homepage. This is usually 'about us', 'products', 'services', 'contact us' and other information that will make the visit to the site a worthwhile experience for the visitor.
Step 3 - The Content
Putting together an online project is the same as putting together a magazine or book, you need to source the best content possible to ensure that you engage, if not excite your readers. If you have the resources within your company to produce good photographs and snappy text, then the Champions' job will just be a matter of collating the information for the web developer. Reading is the primary activity undertaken on the internet, people read words and they need to be relevant and persuasive. If you don't have the in-house resources we strongly recommend you find a business writer or journalist and photographer or photo library account. Online, as within a printed newsletter, a bad photo will always be a bad photo and won't show your organisations professionalism in the best light.
Step 4 - The Hunt
When looking for a web development firm, it is a good idea to interview two or three to see which one fits best with your vision. There are several important aspects to consider before making the final choice. Where will the website be hosted? What kind of design are you looking for? Do you want to be able to manage the website and to modify its content? What level of support will you need? The website development industry is flourishing within Australia; there are thousands of web solution providers throughout the country. Web developers will publish a portfolio of their work on their own website, this feature will give you an insight into their capabilities. Develop a clear strategy to make sure your web provider understands your requirements and has the capacity to fulfil them to your satisfaction.
Step 5 - The Deadline
When will the website be launched or the e-newsletter sent? Is this realistic? The champion will seek a time line and confirmation from the web developer, put the dates into a diary and check up - tick off as each milestone is reached. The major dates will be; delivery and sign off for designs, implementation of those designs into internet language by a technician, supply of content and photos, followed by insertion, testing of the website or e-newsletter, then launch.
Step 6 - Launch
All the work has been done and the champion has reviewed the website or e-communication, and implemented feedback from the team, everything is ready for the launch.
Your website is not like a baseball stadium, once you build it they will not necessarily come. You need to get your website out there by utilising search engine marketing and traditional cues. Some organisations will have an official launch at a trade show, or send out an e-communication with a special offer to drive customers to their new site. Updating your content and marketing your website regularly is an essential ingredient to ensuring success.
The easiest way to keep your photos and text updated is to use a content management system which allows anyone with basic computing knowledge to manage the content of a website. The simplicity of the tools should be a primary requirement for organisations as regularly updating the content of a website, is for many experts, one of the most efficient ways to retain visitors. It is very important for the web champion to understand what visitors search for on the website. If you meet your visitors' expectations at their first visit, there is a very good chance they come back on a regular basis. This information can be obtained from website statistics. Out-of-date content does not interest anybody; internet users look for fresh and interesting information. Post your news, press releases, promotions and/or any kind of content that could make a visit on the website unique. Meet your visitors' expectations and make your online presence a successful experience for both your organisation and the visitor.
Sue Wickenden is Chief Executive of iSmart Software. iSmart Software has delivered effective solutions to small-to-large leisure organisations throughout Australia and the United Kingdom including professional sportsmen and women, sporting communities, venue managers and larger organisations.
For details, email: sales@ismartsoftware.com; www.ismartsoftware.com
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