As with any endeavor the first question is "why undertake it?" After all, there are bound to be some risks in terms of time and money. What is the potential payoff - the business advantage to be realized? This is the first crucial step in developing a web site. Is it worth it? Is there something tangible to be gained?

Assuming that you make the informed decision that your company does indeed belong on the WWW, you are ready to begin planning a strategy. This is the single most important step you will take in building a successful web site, and actually getting the "payoff" that justifies having a web site. Without a strategy your web site is simply one of the 150 million other pages on the WWW.

Regardless of the advantages offered by the WWW in general, your business is specific and your strategy should be tailored to best take advantage of those specific WWW benefits that are most applicable to your business. The essential elements of a successful web site strategy come from the answers to the following questions.

What is my business goal for the site?

Do I want to sell products directly, advertise my organization, generate qualified leads, provide information, support my clients, gain prestige or recognition in my community? These are each valid goals, but each goal is different, and requires a different approach to designing a web site.