Websites

Websites
A business website is a website that represents a business and its products or services. It is a digital representation of the business that allows customers to learn about the business, browse and purchase its products or services, and contact the business for support or additional information. Business websites can be used by small, local businesses or by large, international corporations.
They can be simple, informative websites or complex, interactive e-commerce platforms. The main purpose of a business website is to attract and retain customers by providing them with information about the business and its products or services, as well as a convenient way to purchase those products or services online.

Make a Strong First Impression

Your website is often the first point of contact potential customers have with your business, making it a vital component of your brand’s image. A well-designed website serves as a powerful representation of your products or services, helping to build credibility and trust from the start. By showcasing your business’s unique value and providing a seamless user experience, your website can leave a lasting, positive impression that sets you apart from competitors.

Drive Lead Generation and Engagement

A website isn’t just a digital storefront; it’s an interactive tool for reaching and engaging potential customers. By offering information about your products or services, displaying customer testimonials, and running special promotions, your website becomes a lead-generating asset. Incorporate contact forms and newsletter sign-ups to capture valuable customer information, enabling you to build relationships and nurture leads toward conversion.

Expand Your Reach to a Broader Audience

One of the greatest advantages of a website is its ability to reach audiences far beyond your local area. With a strong online presence, you can tap into new markets and attract customers who might never have discovered your business otherwise. For small businesses with limited budgets for traditional advertising, a website provides a cost-effective way to reach a global audience and scale growth opportunities.

Build Trust and Authority in Your Industry

A website that’s regularly updated with relevant, valuable content positions your business as a trusted source in your industry. By sharing expert insights, product information, and updates, you demonstrate your knowledge and reliability, which builds customer trust. This is particularly crucial for businesses offering complex or technical products or services, as it helps clearly communicate the benefits and establish your authority.

F.A.Qs about Website Design & Development

A Content Management System (CMS) is a great choice if you want to manage and edit your website without needing coding skills. With a CMS, you have access to a wide range of functionality extensions, allowing for flexibility in design, content, and functionality. CMS platforms like WordPress and Shopify make it easy to update content and add new features, giving you more control over your site.

Web design focuses on the look and feel of your website, including layout, colors, and usability on the front end (what users see). Web development, on the other hand, involves coding and technical tasks on the back end, such as API integrations and server configuration. Both roles are essential, working together to create a visually appealing and fully functional website.

Absolutely! Many professionals have skills in both web design and web development, enabling them to handle both the visual and technical aspects of website creation. This versatility can be especially beneficial for smaller projects where a single individual manages the complete website process, ensuring cohesive design and functionality.

The cost of a website is wholly dependent on your requirements. Typically, a website with standard features will cost from £2,000.

The time required to build a website varies based on complexity, design, and functionality needs. A standard website might take 4-6 weeks, while more complex projects with custom features may take several months. We aim to set realistic timelines and keep you informed throughout the development process.

Yes, all of our websites come with an initial SEO setup that includes on-page optimization, such as meta tags, keywords, and URL structuring. This foundation helps improve your website’s visibility in search engines, although we also offer advanced SEO and search marketing services to enhance your site’s ranking further.

Yes and no. A website is like a living, evolving asset. While you can complete the initial design and launch, regular updates and optimizations will keep it fresh and high-performing. Trying new features, optimizing for SEO, and updating content are all part of ongoing maintenance to ensure the site continues to meet your needs and those of your visitors.

If you choose a CMS-based website, you won’t need technical coding skills to manage it. However, basic computer skills, such as creating and formatting content, uploading images, and navigating the CMS dashboard, are necessary. Being organized and consistent will help you manage updates and add new content effectively.

We offer ongoing support for website maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting. This includes regular security updates, plugin maintenance for CMS sites, and technical support as needed. Our support packages are flexible, ensuring your website remains up-to-date and functional as your business grows.

To maintain optimal website performance, regularly update your content, test for usability, and monitor speed and security. Conducting routine SEO audits, improving mobile responsiveness, and testing new design elements can also enhance performance. Continuous improvement helps ensure your site meets the evolving needs of users and search engines.

In this episode of the Bear Business Vodcast, host Chris Barnard interviews Jenna Farrell, founder of Scopey, a software solution designed to manage and prevent scope creep in professional services. Scope creep, a common issue in creative and tech industries, often leads to revenue loss and project mismanagement. Jenna shares her background as a former digital agency owner and discusses the problems scope creep caused in her business, which led to the creation of Scopey.

The conversation explores the origins and evolution of scope creep, the importance of fluid and live documentation in modern work environments, and how Scopey addresses scope creep by capturing and organizing unapproved changes from client communications. They delve into how Scopey fits into agile project management and offers unique value by helping agencies upsell services and recover lost revenue. Jenna also shares insights into the cultural challenges of upselling and cross-selling, especially in the UK and Ireland, and the importance of educating clients to manage expectations and scope.

The episode ends with a discussion on Scopey’s growth, future plans, and Jenna’s experience securing funding from Enterprise Ireland to scale the business.

Highlights

Introduction to Bear Business and Scopey
Chris introduces the topic of scope creep and the guest, Jenna Farrell, founder of Scopey. Jenna shares her journey from running a digital agency to developing Scopey as a solution to scope creep.

The Problem of Scope Creep
Jenna describes how scope creep affected her business, leading to revenue loss, and explains the static and outdated nature of traditional project scopes, which do not adapt to fluid project requirements.

How Scopey Works
Jenna introduces Scopey and explains how it focuses on tracking client communications to manage scope changes. She uses the analogy of project management as a chaotic kitchen, with Scopey serving as the client-facing menu that helps manage requests.

Modern Approaches to Scope Management
The conversation shifts to agile methodologies and how Scopey fits into modern work practices. Jenna explains how Scopey helps teams adapt to continuous changes without derailing projects.

Upselling Through Scopey
Jenna discusses the importance of upselling and how Scopey makes it easier for agencies to identify out-of-scope work and turn it into additional revenue opportunities.

Cultural Barriers to Upselling in Agencies
Chris and Jenna talk about the cultural challenges of upselling in the UK and Ireland, and the need to shift the mindset from selling to consulting in client relationships.

Scopey’s Early Adopters and Use Cases
Jenna shares how agencies and even industries like law and insurance are using Scopey to manage scope creep and improve their project outcomes.

Scope Creep as an Opportunity
Scope creep is reframed as an opportunity for agencies to better serve their clients and grow their revenue through strategic upselling, made easier by Scopey’s documentation and pricing features.

Future of Scopey and Integration with Other Tools
Jenna discusses the future of Scopey, its recent public beta launch, and upcoming integrations with tools like HubSpot and Salesforce, which will expand its use in larger organizations.

Enterprise Ireland Funding and Growth
Jenna shares her experience working with Enterprise Ireland to secure funding, which will help Scopey create jobs in Ireland and grow into a larger business.

Scopey’s Pricing Model
Jenna explains Scopey’s current freemium pricing model and how they are testing price points as they add new features during their beta phase.

Closing Thoughts and Favourite Game
The conversation wraps up with a light-hearted question about Jenna’s favorite game, Gaelic football, and how she has adapted to the sport since moving to Ireland.

Chris Barnard from FeedbackFans.com welcomes Gemma Johnson from Emotion Brands as his guest on this episode of the Bear Business Podcast to discuss what is takes to be successful with your branding as a Hospitality, Leisure or Hotel business.

If you are in the Branding, Marketing or Hospitality, Leisure or Hotels industries, you won’t want to miss this episode where we dive into the importance of Branding and Brand strategy. We also give practical advise, tips on what ‘great’ looks like in branding and discuss the trends in the industry.

We discuss a wide range of topics:

Introduction and Background
Gemma’s Journey in Design and Branding
The Importance of Brand Strategy
Remote Work and Professional Relationships
Holistic Business Approach
Branding Strategies for Hotels
The Role of Social Media in Branding
Leveraging Technology in Hospitality
Current Trends in Hospitality Branding
Case Study: Hillbrook Hotel
Personal Stories and Favorite Games
Closing Remarks and Outro

Get in contact with Gemma at https://www.emotionbrands.co.uk/hotel-marketing or alternatively, follow her on social media.

Find Gemma on Social Media
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-johnson-emotion-brands/
LinkedIn (Biz) – https://www.linkedin.com/company/emotion-brands

Find Chris on Social Media
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjbarnard/
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@feedbackfans
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@getfeedbackfans

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