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Whether you are already online or just thinking about it, the following are some rather frank suggestions for you to consider before you go any further. Battle-born from the cumulative experience of the Marketing Technology Group, these considerations and the dialogue they induce inside your organization will help you take the first right steps towards an effective online presence. We also think the stuff that follows is pretty valuable since it represents many man-years of experience. Consider it our gift to you - your reward for clicking deeper.

Do you need it? Are you sure you really need a website in the first place? There are already plenty of sites that contribute nothing to the organization they represent. Will your site increase revenue or decrease expenses? Make sure you have a real purpose with measurable goals before you spend your first penny (or any more pennies) online.

This is different. The Internet is the first new medium to come along in 50 years, and as such is unique. Like other media, the Internet has its own strengths and weaknesses, its own peculiarities, not shared by any other medium. Some considerations, like speed and convenience, are especially critical. Seek to understand these differences or hire someone who already does.

Just because it works there doesn't mean it will work here. Don't expect to simply pour content in from another medium and expect it to work. You've got to instead massage it. Sometimes a lot. And don't expect folks who are capable in one medium like print or broadcast to be necessarily proficient in another like the Internet. The online world requires a whole new set of unique skills.

Old-fashioned basics still apply. Time-proven methods like planning, strategizing, and goal-setting are just as important now with your online presence. Considering the cost and time involved in establishing an effective website, these methods are actually even more important. Few organizations have the luxury (or money) to fund a haphazard effort. Clear thinking and decisive action will always prevail.

A purpose for everything. All the elements of your website should be working. If that picture, paragraph, or page doesn't have a clear, stated function, get rid of it because it is in the way. Online users are fickle and lazy, and your site's exit is only a click away. Remember most people go online for the express purpose of finding information or performing a task. Therefore substance matters and content is king.

Promote it. Like anything you want people to take notice of, you must market your website. Standard publicity efforts like press releases and traditional media coverage are certainly useful, but the Internet provides a new wrinkle with new opportunities.

You are never done. The online world is evolving at a horrendous clip. It is dynamic and ever-changing. Any online presence worth its salt must remain fluid in order to accommodate the changing environment. Don't think for a moment that now your website is up you are finished. You simply have the first of many phases done. But don't let the magnitude of it all overwhelm you - just think in terms of 'baby steps' and keep plugging away. It is this type of long term commitment that leads to online business success.

If it is not already important, it will soon be. Folks staking their claim in cyberspace now will reap increasingly bigger benefits as the size, scope, and importance of the Internet increases. Experts agree that the impact of the online world on our business and personal lives will be swift and dramatic. As the Internet is increasingly integrated into business processes, companies will increasingly rely on their Internet connectivity and online presence. Website addresses (URLs) will be just as important as phone numbers or street addresses for conducting business.

You will probably need help. Like anything worth doing, establishing an effective online presence is worth doing right. Your job or your company's future may very well depend on it. If you don't already have the expertise, consider hiring it. And while you are considering, consider us. We at the Marketing Technology Group know the online world inside and out. We live and breathe it. And our combined resources and expertise make us very capable online stewards. We will help you sort it all out - plan it, build it, and promote it. Our ability to understand and convert your unique business situation into an effective online presence means each dollar you spend online will work as hard as possible