They say communication is everything. Communication is not only getting your message across, but it is also ensuring that your target understands your message as opposed to just hearing it. Your business can send a message without you having to utter one word. You send your message through the reputation you build for your business over the course of years. You can also send a strong message through the character of your business. Every business takes on a character of its own, whether intentionally or by accident. The number one source of communication a business has is its website. As a business owner, when you hand over your business card, you are directly inviting your target to view and judge your website and the character of your business. With today's world of technology, consumers are intelligent, sophisticated, and resourceful. Consumers spend hours on end searching the net for anything from home goods, to education, to healthcare. Here are 6 tips to consider when creating and developing and the character of a successful website: 1. Business Plan: It is essential to have a well thought out blueprint of your company. What is the company's niche? What is your purpose? Who is your target market? What is the trend of your market? What is your organizational structure? Having a blueprint will start to reveal the character of your business and how it will communicate with your target. 2. Marketing Plan: The marketing plan is so often overlooked but this is the meat of your communication effort. It tells you where your company stands as compared to your competition, and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of your company. Your marketing plan also shows you how to reach your target market, where to advertise, and all the fun and cool things about your business like what the colors of your business are going to be. 3. User Friendliness: When your target accesses your website, you want them to be able find the answer to their need. The content on your site should be relevant, precise, clear and clever. An overload of wording will distract and discourage your target from continuing. 4. Competition: Again, this is a BIG part of the marketing plan. The research. As a business owner you must know what your competition looks like, what they offer, and how they communicate. Is their website dynamic and interactive? Consumers know the difference between you and your competition so it is important as a business owner not to sell yourself short in your website development. 5. Describe your character: The character of your business should be well described in your website through the correct use of wording, fonts, colors, and the layout. The use of modern technology can also add to the character of your website, which will show your target that you can be innovative. Ensuring your character is well defined will create an experience for your target. 6. Content: The content of your site is just as critical as the design, both visual and non visual. It is imperative that the content of your website clearly states your purpose and shows your target how you can help them. Just as important is providing your target with different options on the website so they understand all of the services that your business provides. Properly programming your website will ensure that your website comes up when consumers are performing a search. Keywords can be embedded by a professional web developer into the website to ensure search engine optimization. Gloria Lantigua is a marketing consultant for First Stone Marketing, Yonkers, N.Y.