From the Desk of
Robyn Harton, Owner & Designer, Robyn A Harton Creative
I'm happy to get out this issue of our Ezine with information that can help both business people and other people on the web. My goal here is to help YOU with this Ezine. If you have a topic you'd like to
see covered, or a question you'd like answered, just drop me a note at creative@rahcreative.com and I'll do my best to help out.
Until next time,
Yours,
Robyn

Article:

What do you want your website to DO?

Ask most people that question and you'll get a glassy-eyed
stare followed by something like, "Do? What should a
website do? Huh?"

It's as if having a concrete goal for a website is a foreign concept. It shouldn't be though!

If you don't know what you want your website to DO, or
accomplish, you won't even know if it does it by accident!

A website can accomplish one or many things:
give information
online shopping
online registration
requesting information
search database
down or upload files
discussion forums
and more.

The questions is, what is critical for your website to do for
you? What MUST it do in order to meet your goals for it?

Learn more about goals for your website in the full version of this article online.

Fun Stuff:

Blame it on the Phase of the Moon!
Look up just what phase of the moon it is at
Shadowlands: Moon Phases page.

Recommended Services:

Precizion Hosting http://www.precizion.com
Bend-over-backwards customer service. Great Prices.
Great Service. Period. If you need web hosting, they'll take great care of
you.

Article:
How do you know when you can trust online vendors?

There is no perfect way to know if you can trust a particular
vendor online. There are however some things you can look for to give you an idea of whether a particular online vendor is trustworthy.

Look for these things on a vendor's website so you can
determine if they are likely to be trustworthy.

Membership in Consumer Trust Groups such as Square Trade, Truste, or Better Business Bureau. These groups review their members and help ensure that they have ethical business practices.

References and testimonials are good. The thing to check
here is if they seem true. Do they sound like canned
advertisements or real, enthusiastic customers?

Coherent website. Generally if a website is coherent and
holds together well, it reflects the nature of the business
that runs it. So a well put together, functional website
often indicates a well put together business.

Privacy policy. A trustworthy site will have a clear privacy
policy.

Contact information. Is there a mailing address and phone
number in addition to an email address or web form? If so,
the company is more likely to be trustworthy.

Secure encryption for ecommerce. Are all areas where you give credit card numbers secure? Do you see the little lock near the bottom of your browser window? If so, SSL encryption is in use and your transactions are as safe as possible when transmitted over the internet.

If an online vendor has these things in good order, you're
much more likely to have a positive experience shopping with them online.

Quote: "Life is full of obstacle illusions."
- Grant Frazier

The Making Graphics & Web Design Work For You Ezine by Robyn A Harton Creative is an double opt-in ezine. To unsubscribe at any time, go to http://rahcreative.com/unsubscribe.html.

Is your website just not working for you? Drop by our site at http://rahcreative.com and see how we can help you make your site really work for you.

Do you have a website related to graphics, website creation, internet or business?
Email us at creative@rahcreative.com and let us know!
We're always looking for additional resource information.

If you find this issue of the Making Graphics & Web Design Works For You Ezine useful, forward it to a friend so they can learn more about related issues.

This ezine is published biweekly by
Robyn A Harton Creative. http://rahcreative.com