As most of you know I am in the middle of having this website and blog redesigned. We are just about complete and I know the Thesis WP theme a lot better than I did yesterday. However, the more I think about it the more it is likely that ruthan brodsky dot come will always be in some stage of evolution.
I have learned much these past weeks and will keep on learning as long as I have clients and am in the business of marketing services and products using content.
One very most important conclusion to date is – and one you should keep in mind as you plan your marketing strategies is that there is no perfect webmaster. Everyone will know much more than you do but there will be a software product that you use that they are not familiar with or the process you learned for autoresponders isn’t the way they would do it.
Granted, it’s a small number of webmasters I’ve worked with, but these half dozen men and women each have their special gifts and talents and skill sets. Each also has their own level of patience with me which may also be important to you.
There are so many designers and firms to choose from both locally and on the internet that if at all possible, have several people give you references for a webmaster before you spend any money.
It will be easier to find the right webmaster if you make a list of skills needed to put your website together. It probably wold be a good idea to also list the major software you use such as which shopping carts, webinar and teleseminar programs. Here are a few of mine:
Graphic design I can’t draw but I want a header and graphics design that are visually appealing and user friendly. If the graphic designers can also program your website consider that a bonus. Otherwise make certain your graphic designer knows some programming for downloading codes and your programs.
A second skill I mentioned is programming, at least to some degree. If your Virtual Assistant (VA) lacks this skill you will need to hire an additional person to work on your website. If your website is sitting on a Word Press foundation make sure your VA has experience with WP but also has some experience on the WP theme you select. If you’re making Word Press or another blogging platform the basis of your website it’s likely you’ll be able to maintain the program once your website and blog have been set up.
Determine how your website functions. Are there complex features that need to be maintained? Are you going to maintain them or is someone else going to care for them? EVen if you are working with Word Press you may not want to take the time to maintain your site and hire someone to keep the site updated. Ask your webmaster if they follow the latest web standards. Good programmers can edit code without relying on Front Page or Dreamweaver to do their job.
More about finding a good webmaster that’s right for you on my next post.
To your many successes in life and business.
Ruthan Brodsky
