Sophisticated Web Design

A database can supercharge your Web site. As recently as rive years ago, most CPA firms were scrambling to create an online presence before they missed the "virtual" curve. Partners across the country were congratulating each other for their firms' "awesome" graphics and the "really cool" Web designs, after which it was back to business as usual. The most a firm expected was the occasional new client that first learned of the firm on the Web. In fact, many CPAs regarded their Web sites as "just another expensive method of publishing a list of client services." If that is all you still expect from your firm's site, you are missing the curve. Today, the benchmark for cutting-edge Web development for business are the database-driven Web sites. They are considered database-driven because the contents of the site actually is stored in a database. They combine a Web browser, a Web server and database software in a way that makes the site accurate, timely, interactive and, most important, personalized for each client. Web sites that are not database-driven are static and require programming every time their content changes. You most likely have had some experience using database-driven sites and didn't even know it. For example, some of the best known companies that have created database-driven Web sites include Amazon (www.amazon.com), Charles Schwab (www.schwab.com), Federal Express (www.fedex.com) and American Airlines (www.aa.com). These sites generate new clients because they are interactive and personalized. For example, they allow clients to place and trace orders, access timely account information and learn about events or products that are of special importance to them. CPA firms do not have to earn $100 million in revenue to take advantage of all the marketing benefits of a more sophisticated Web site. In fact, small firms can establish their own database-driven sites and manage them without having to hire professional Web designers whenever they want them updated. This provides CPAs with a relatively low-cost marketing tool and engages clients with timely and personalized information. ADD VALUE TO YOUR PRACTICE Keeping the standard Web site up-to-date can be a daunting, nearly impossible task for the small firm. Practitioners who have established a Web site generally pay professional Web designers--who know Web site programming languages, such as HTML and XML--when they need it updated. Consequently, it is not the development cost, but the high hourly maintenance fees and the lack of in-house control that discourage smaller firms from developing or expanding their Web presence. Because of this, many firms neglect this important duty, or they put it very low on their list of priorities. Stale information is worse than no information--in most cases a user looking for timely data will not revisit a site that does not provide up-to-the-minute information. Alternatively, with a database-driven Web site, you can make changes by altering the database and your clients will update your site as they input new information about themselves online. Database-driven Web applications are the most cost-effective solutions for Web sites with frequent content changes. Companies have applied such technology successfully to online catalogs, data broadcasting, service tracking and airline reservations. CPA firms can apply the same technology to make their sites better marketing tools. For example, database-driven sites can include * Customized daily or weekly announcements for clients, such as tax filing reminders or SEC requirements. * Customized updates on local issues that could affect local clients such as an increase in state or county property taxes. * New product and services information such as a hotlink to information on a new payroll service. * An interactive checklist or calculators that advise users of the benefits of financial planning. …