Whistlefield Associates

Public Relations and Media Consultancy

Whistlefield Associates - making the most of the world wide web.

We specialise in the design of quality, affordable websites focussed on the needs of clients. If you are thinking of establishing an online presence, and if you are looking for a friendly and expert website design service — we are here to help.

Why have a website and internet presence?

• A web site offers relatively low cost advertising with the potential of a wide reach.
• By including your web address (URL) in a small printed advertisement, a directory or on your letter heads and business card, potential clients will be able to view several pages of information about your business so you get added value.
• Web sites are the least expensive medium to develop and publish and many marketing experts advise that they are the ideal place to prototype wider company marketing messages.
• It can be difficult to list all your services and products in a small advertisement in papers or directories. With the Internet you can put as much, or as little, information as you want. Websites are full colour so avoid the costs of expensive printed brochures.
• Web sites can be easily updated to take account of new goods and services, changing demand and sales patterns.
• When recruiting staff – easily advertise employment opportunities to a wider audience.
• Many people make their first search for goods and services on the Web. If you are not there you will probably miss out.

• What is the aim of your web site?
• What do you want it to achieve?
• Who will be your potential audience?
• Why will they visit your web site instead of another?
• What do you hope visitors will be able to achieve on your site and why would they want to return?
• How will you adequately maintain the finished site?
• How much money are you prepared to spend on the project?

Your website should be an integral part of your business development plan and it is important to discuss this with your web site designer from the outset. In addition you need to agree how updates and changes will be made to your web site. For a few organisations changes may be almost constant but even a static web site should be reviewed every month or so. Any required updates can either be on a pay as you go basis or can be the subject of an annual contract.

An alternative is that a member of your team can be trained to undertake content management of the site. Again this is most easily achieved if taken into consideration at the design stage of the web site.

Search engines:

Many web-sites are graphically exciting but are not easily "read" by search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo and Alta Vista). Though it may seem perverse – it is usually more important to have you site "search engine friendly" rather than full of glitzy movement and graphics, particularly if your marketing budget is modest.

Web sites can cost many thousands of pounds but most need not be more than a few hundred.    A simple three page brochure site will cost from £230 to £275. Additional pages start at £75.

Content Managed Sites (ideal for DIY maintenance) are slightly more to set up but additional pages are usually less expensive. They are definitely worth it if you have six or more pages and expect to make frequent changes to the site content.

Secure E-commerce sites (through which clients can purchase and pay for products) are more complex and start at £750.

Please contact Whistlefield Associates for an initial discussion and a no obligation quotation.

• A search to find available web-addresses (URLs) that are suitable for the proposed site from which you can choose.
• The cost of registering the chosen URL and 1 year’s provision of sufficient Webspace.
• An initial meeting to define the objectives of the website and agree initial design ideas.
Following this meeting we will usually require a 20% non-refundable deposit prior to building your site. We will then draw up a site specification which will form the basis of the completed work.
• All text and image content will normally be supplied by the customer (see what is not included below). However basic photography may be carried out by Whistlefield Associates at the time of the initial meeting.
• A further meeting at which a working draft of the web-site will be delivered and demonstrated.
This is the point at which final details of the site and any necessary changes can be agreed.
• The first ten miles of travel to and from the above meetings.
• The design and build of the web-site to the specification agreed with the client.
• We include basic search engine optimisation during the web site design process.
• Uploading the site files to the Web server once the design and functionality of the site has been approved by the client. Please note, the site will not be switched on until all outstanding payments relating to the site have been received by Whistlefield Associates.

• Specialised photography which will be charged at cost.
• Any specialised fonts or graphics which have to be purchased from a third party will be charged at cost.
• Travel costs for any additional meetings required by the client and costs over 10 miles (each way) for the first two meetings. The current rate is charged at 25 p per mile.
• Any major design changes or previously unrequested features asked for by the client after initial design and content have been agreed.
• Advice on the page layout is included in the basic cost but where research or significant copy writing is required this will be charged at cost (currently £16 per hour)

Your website will be cross-browser-compatible to maximise the number of people that can see it.
It will comply with EU disability regulations
It will be compatible with PDA's, mobile phones and screen readers

Whistlefield Web team will work with you to optimise your web-site to give good results with the major search engines.

Keep it simple – "flashy graphics and big animations" can take an age to down–load and after a while often become annoying. Our advice is to be sparing with the special effects.

A combination of our expertise and professional approach along with a strong website design means you can be sure your business is in safe hands

high quality web design, e-commerce, search engine optimisation