But the truth is, we've been in a position to see, first-hand, the pitfalls when you don't -- when you try and build your site in-house, in your so-called "spare" time. Many of our clients have come to us because they constructed their site based on what we call "organic growth" -- adding to it in a hodge-podge manner without the appropriate resources or understanding to make it consistent. And so...

Here are the Top Ten Reasons to build your website using an outside vendor:

10. Time is of the essence
No one in business today has the time to do the work that's part of their normal job description. When a project such as the Internet or Intranet becomes just one more task on someone's already overloaded list, it is not a surprise that it never gets done. This leads us to...

9. Focus is critical
Web site construction takes a certain amount of dedicated attention -- difficult to come by if your phone is ringing and there are three other tasks needing your attention. At a company such as IMA, we focus exclusively on your project until it's done. In fact, we're often way ahead of you, our clients, in terms of deliverables. It isn't unusual for us to be waiting on our clients when they need to review copy, gather images, or test functionality. We're practiced in showing you precisely what needs to be done, and when, to keep your project on schedule.

8. Cross-functional teams
Web sites require a broad range of skills and talents. Do you have the appropriate resources -- graphic artists, writers, production staff, marketing individuals, engineers, project management -- in place? Most corporations and non-profit groups do not. And those that do, don't necessarily have the appropriate...

7. Experience
At IMA, it's likely we've come across the issues you're facing before. We leverage everything we learn from every project we do, to streamline and solve all the challenges that are bound to surface. This includes browser and design issues, navigational schemes, and a wide variety of programming challenges.

6. Site organization
How many levels of content should you support? How do you get your users -- within three easy clicks -- to the right content? How do you give your users enough information on the home page, without overwhelming them with all the choices? We at IMA work with you to understand enough about your content needs to be able to present a streamlined, easy-to-use interface that helps your users find what they need, when they need it.

5. Presenting yourself properly to the outside world
Has this happened to your Web site? You put togther what appears to be the right categories of information, based on how your company is organized. But when someone from the outside world takes a look at it, the section titles are confusing and counter-intuitive. Often, it takes someone from outside the organization to be able to step back and see the picture the way a user who is not part of your corporate culture would view it. Through proper section names, appropriate content organization, and an understanding of what the business goals are for the site, a vendor such as IMA can bring an invaluable fresh look at how you present yourself to the outside world.

4. Budget considerations
Did this one surprise you? It's true. Working with a vendor such as IMA can actually help rather than hurt the bottom line. Our methodology is such that we can make the process efficient and effective, without wasting undue time and effort. We can help you facilitate planning, drive consensus regarding site considerations, and produce the work, start to finish, in a much shorter period of time than your in-house resources.

3. Realizing innovation
When you start your Internet project, it's undoubtedly with a list of ideas for how to create a first-rate site. Some of these will be worth the effort for the return on your investment, others will not. How can you judge which is which? We are able to tell you what you might gain from each programmatic innovation you put onto your site, and what the trade-offs will be. And we'll be able to present you with other ideas you may not have thought of, often as low-cost, high-gain applications.

2. Ability to maintain and refresh your site
We can't say it often enough -- a site that remains static is not working for you. You need to build your site from the very beginning knowing where and how you can continue to update, adding new content and new applications. At IMA, we'll plan this into the very first designs -- and give your staff the administrative tools to be able to add new content with relatively few HTML skills.

1. Realize business objectives
Your site may be beautifully designed, have a lot of "cool" applications on it -- but if it is not helping your organization realize clearly stated business objectives, it can only be considered a failure. Part of the specification stage of any IMA project is to work with you to understand your business goals, putting into place measurable criteria to help you gauge how well the site is helping to realize those goals.

In conclusion, working with a reliable, seasoned outside vendor can be among the best investments you make as you pursue your interactive goals. By providing a springboard to innovation, streamlining the process, and avoiding many of the pitfalls of working solely in-house, a partnership with a vendor such as IMA can leave you wondering why you waited so long.