Design Services

$85.00 per hour

Design services include Domain Name Registration, Site Layout and creation of  HTML documents and supporting scripts, interactive Email forms, database interaction forms, site navigation tools, graphics or digitized photos, image maps. . . . .Now, we could go on and on and on about what we can do.  Let us say that The Dog House prides itself on it's ability to talk to you about your business and design a site around what you need.   Not what package we have to sell.  We do not offer,  nor do we promote the idea of, web site "packages".  Too many people ask ..."How much will it cost to design a site?" thinking that it is just like buying a pair of socks.   You know the "One Size Fits All" syndrome.

Well, The Dog House believes that the Internet is NOT a "One Size Fits All" type of place.  When you visit the local "Mall", do all the stores look the same?  When you go to work in that corporate office complex or even drive down your local version of  "main street", do all the business look the same?   No, because every business has it's own image, product, service, staff, and client.   Our goal is to look at your business and select products and services that will not only fit your needs today, but also to guide you toward the future. 

Our initial consultation is free.  It can be done over the phone, by email or in person if your office or business in the Chicago metro area. Don't be alarmed if the first question from us is "What do you want to do with your web site?" or "What do you want to put on your web site?". The Dog House would like to assure everyone who calls . . . We do not,  nor will we, steal web site ideas or products. There are so many of them, we would go broke trying to implement all of your wonderful ideas and products. But, we would like the opportunity to build the site behind those ideas and products.

Web Site Renovation

$85.00 per hour

What do we mean by web site renovation? Web sites are generally built to fulfill a need. The need could be for an efficient way to communicate. To market and sell products.  To provide service and support. The needs tend to vary according to the business as well as the intended audience. The audience could be employees, customers or vendors.  Or, a combination of all three. The problem comes when the web site does not fulfill the needs of the business or organization.

The growth of the Internet over the last couple of years has produced the atomosphere of  "I got to be there". Which has encouraged a lot of companies and organizations to take the leap BEFORE they truly understand how the Internet will benefit them. The end result is a general uneasiness about the Internet and a frustration over resources spent with no apparent return on investment.

As in all aspects of life, we all learn best when we've made a few mistakes along the way.  The Dog House can help re-focus your web site so that it begins to benefit your business or organization. 

Web Site Hosting

There are numerous options when selecting how to host a domain name.   If you are planning to host your own web server, check our Integration Services.   If you are looking to lease web server space,  The Dog House recommends that you purchase services according to what the current needs of the web site are.  Companies that specialize in providing hosting service will offer several levels of services from which to choose.  As the site grows and develops, purchasing the additional levels of service as they are needed is quite easy.  This way you can "Get your feet wet" first before you move on to bigger and better things. 

When looking to lease web server space, the first choice then becomes whether the domain name will be hosted on your own Virtual Server or sub-hosted on an existing Virtual Server.  The answer to this questions lies in what type of email services your business requires.  If you require a POP3 Server to process large amounts of email, you will be looking for a Virtual Server.  If only a few email slots are required and POP3 accounts already exist (i.e. yourname@aol.com or youname@corncob.com), then sub-hosting on an already existing Virtual Server may be the answer. The Dog House can help you determine exactly what services will fit the web sites needs.

Sub-Host  www.yourcompany.com on one of our Virtual Servers

http://www.verisign.com $349.00,
yearly renewal $249.00

Marketing & Promotion

$85.00 per hour

$48.00 for Internet Research

Actual Cost of placing ads is responsibility of  the web site owner.

Well, you spent the cash to build the site.  Did you remember to save some of those dollars for marketing and promotion?  Unless you are fortunate enough have a brand name URL, you will need to create traffic to your web site.  Otherwise, as one of our staff member likes to say . . . ."What's the point?" 

Fortunately for you, there are some really simple things and inexpensive things that can be done right away.  Getting registered on the search engines. Even using one of the registration services that will register the URL with over 200 search engines and directories.  Or. the simplest one of all,  adding your URL and email address to any and ALL printed literature.  That includes business cards, letterhead, brochures, catalogs, any scrap of paper that would potentially end up in a clients hands should have your URL on it.  On the Internet, giving out a business cards without the URL or email address is like handing out a business cards without a phone number.  Who will know you are there?

The Dog House specializes in the marketing and promotion of Internet web sites. We custom design  promotional campaigns that fit your budget and your needs. We actively search out advertising and promotional opportunities on the Internet as well as in traditional advertising mediums.  Most Internet campaigns are three month commitments.  Email marketing@designdogs.com for more information. 

Integration Services

The Internet is a place where resources of all types are typically shared.  PCs, fileservers, webservers, modems, phone lines, T1, T3, routers, switches, hubs, nic cards are all talking to each other over a piece of software.  It is an open platform through which everything and everybody communicates.

That is why The Dog House considers itself an Integration House.  We fit the Internet to your needs and requirements.  So, if the open architecture of the Internet keeps you awake at night, talk to us.  Will help you find the solution that puts you right to sleep.

Training

$100.00 per hour plus $50.00 per head

The Web Site is finally up and running.  But, you would like to have control over the information on the pages.  The Dog House can come into your organization and train your personnel on how to maintain and administer the Web Site.  This training can be as simple or as complex as your needs require.  The number of trainees  per group is dependent on the training facilities.  For example, if only one computer is available for training, it would be quit difficult to train three or more people. Arrangements can be made for multiple sessions.  Contact marketing@designdogs.com for more information.

Service Plans

The Web Site is finally up and running. And you're really not interested in learning how to make changes on the site.  You would rather pay for "X" amount of hours each month (or quarter, bi-annually or annually)  to cover updates and changes to the site.  Or, you know that you would like to spend "X" amount each year for development of additional site features.  Either way, we can customize a Service Plan to fit your needs.  Discounts off our normal hourly rates are offered to clients purchasing service plans. Contact marketing@designdogs.com for more information.