The Inspired Raw Design is becoming Heart of the Matter Design.  I’ll cross-post the next entry here, but then you’ll need to read or subscribe at the new site. (Apparently search engines penalize you for posting identical content in multiple places.)

You’ll get the high impact information you expect at Heart of the Matter Design, but with a new focus on the straight scoop on creating effective web sites that help you reach more people and attract more money.

This article is the first in my new free series where you can follow the transition between the two sites and learn how to design your own powerful site.

Welcome to Websites that Work: Your Step-by-Step Design Guide to Bring Your Passion to Pages that Move People. Over the next 6 weeks, you’ll get step-by-step help to (re)design your website for success. And you’ll see Heart of the Matter Design go from a plain Jane to something wonderful.

If you’ve read my free ebook How to Avoid Costly Design Mistakes: 10 Questions You Must Answer BEFORE You Get Creative, you may remember the story of the bank board of directors that wanted a website up right away, even with just the bank’s logo. They didn’t get that it takes a lot more to have a website produce any results. (If you don’t have a site and you’ve just got to put up something… you can check out these “Coming Soon” page design examples.)

So what does it take? It takes a thoughtful process. Here are the steps we’ll cover.

1. Strategy – determine which people you’re trying to reach and why they’ll engage with you
2. Site objectives – identify what people want from your site and what you want it to do
3. Story – define the key message you’re trying to communicate
4. Survey – validate your assumptions before you build
5. System – decide what platform will be used to build the site
6. Search engines – optimize your site so that people are more likely to find it
7. Structure – organize the site so it’s easy to use
8. Substance – create the written and functional content
9. Style – choose layout, images, colors and fonts
10. Screening – test the site

“Style”, which people often think of as web design, is step 9! That’s because it’s only a small part of  a site that gets results. You can end up with a stunning site that doesn’t move people or to bring in money. And that can happen whether you do it yourself, get free or low cost help or even spend thousands of dollars.

We’ll spend more time on some steps than others. For example, this isn’t a technical how-to, so I’ll touch on the system issue briefly. Strategy is the crucial foundation for everything you do, so we’ll invest time to help you get what you need to support the rest of the process… and your success.

Step 1 – Strategy

What does “strategy” mean? I looked at some formal definitions that were clunky, so here’s what to remember.

Strategy involves looking within and beyond yourself to choose a path for success and then lining up what you do to make it happen.

We’ll use these activities help you set your strategy:

• Define your “Heart’s Desire” (which people you’d like to engage as clients, programs participants, funders, etc.)
• Describe how you take them from heartache to happiness
• Understand their alternatives
• Determine what’s going to make them come to you

To design an effective website, you need to be clear on what you do – services, programs, etc. The strategy work can help if you’re still resolving this question. Even if you’re well established, the process may help you adjust what you’re doing.

Action Step – Get the Most out of this Series

This process can have profound impact for your website and what you do. Of course, like any information, it’s only as good as the action you take. So to get the best results:

• Schedule. You’ll get three to five posts each week. When will you read them and complete the activities? The amount of time you’ll want varies, so you might read each one and then mark your calendar for follow-up.
• Take your time. Don’t feel you need to rush to follow the pace of the posts. If you want several weeks on the strategy section, do that. It will pay off many times over with a more effective site. This is especially important to if you’re starting the series after it’s started.
• Buddy up. It’s very helpful to get fresh perspective. Work with someone in your organization (if you’re part of one) or any colleague or friend. You might even invite someone to improve her or his website by going through the process with you.
• Participate. Leave a comment to share your thoughts and ask questions if you’re unsure about anything we’re doing.
• Save the Materials. You’ll likely want to refer back to much of what we’re covering. At some point after March 1st I’ll be removing the series, so why not print it out as we go?

Tomorrow: Define Your Heart’s Desire (part 1)

I’ll post tomorrow’s entry here as as well, so you can get more of a flavor for the series. Then I hope you’ll join me at Heart of the Matter Design.