Successful websites are all about the process

Choosing to commission a new website for your business can seem like a daunting task.

There are so many things to consider - from pulling together all the content to figuring out which messages to prioritise.

Your website has to communicate what makes your business unique and special - and do this quickly - or your potential customers will simply go elsewhere.

One way that we can help growing businesses tackle this challenge is to arrange a strategy session at the beginning of each website project where we work with our clients to understand and develop their unique customer value proposition.

This begins with six simple questions:

Who are you targeting? What problems are you solving? Why does that matter? How do you do it? Where's the proof? (And this is the big one:) Why are you different? This forms the foundation for everything else from the sitemap to the wireframes, the prototype to the developed website - with the opportunity to make amends and sign-off at every stage.

This process provides the opportunity to form a consensus around what really makes your business stand out from the crowd.

Most importantly, it means that when people visit your website they are far more likely to undertake a desired task - whether it is making an enquiry or completing a sale. Aidan Watt is technical director at Hotfoot Design, the award-winning creative agency based in Lancashire with clients dotted around the UK.