Get a Website

It still seems to amaze, me how so many businesses that could benefit from a website just seem to ignore the fact. While a website is not going to be the end of all your business problems, and give you unlimited income. It will make it easier to connect with potential customers and really start the sales process.

What many businesses i think fail to see is that a website does not have to take a lot of time and it does not have to be the primary focus. But having the website there is something that can really be a one off effort, and with occasional updates, be a silent sales tool for them. There are many levels that a website can provide benefit for your business. If nothing more then showcasing that your business exists the to more and more digital generation of customers.

There are a few things to consider as a business when looking to add a webs presence to your business.

• What do you want to achieve – You need to be clear with yourself what you want to achieve from adding a website to your business. If you are not clear with yourself then you are not going to be able to clearly express this to the site developer you choose and will likely end up disappointed.
• What type of site do you want – As a business you have a number of options, You could have a basic sales page with basic information about your business, a more detailed site with additional product information, a brochure site which is basically your price list or brochure made electronic, a blog where you share about your business and it’s products, or finally a full E-Commerce site, where you actually sell products as well. Or really any combination.
• What is your budget – Budget is a very big consideration when looking to get a website. While if you do it yourself it will be a lot less money, the fact is that it will take you a lot longer and potentially lack some of the quality of getting a professional developer to do it. Again the type of site will come into play here a lot, as a basic sales page may come in at just a few hundred dollars, an E-Commerce site will be a much more expensive option. So be sure that you expect the sort of money that is likely going to cost.
• Get your own Domain & Email address – There is no point in really being on the internet with a website if you are not building your own brand. To do this, you need to be on your own domain name, (www.yourcompany.com) there is no point if you are going to have www.yourisp.com/yourcompany. Again the same with your email address if you have your own domain name, there should be no reason to have an email address like yourbusiness@yourisp.com you should have you@yourbusiness.com or sales@yourbusiness.com.

If you are looking to get started with a website for your business this is a good place to start, while it may not cover every base, that you need to consider. It is a better place to start from then trying to figure it all out by yourself. The final piece of advise i suppose that i could share is that you need to get more then one price for what you want, and if possible an outside comparison an opinion who is not biased towards any particular company or option.