The back and Donts of starting a small business Site
Thursday, May 8, 2008 | | |Launching a new site for small businesses is often a long and laborious process. And for most small businesses, efforts rarely ends in success. The terrain is mapped with independent companies and consultants who does not offer the same services and most certainly don t the same price. The projects are often full of expectations unclear deadlines, ridiculous and time. What? S worse is that many developers have the audacity to ask even more money halfway through the project. Even after all the hard work is complete, most companies don t even see a return on investment.
If you haven? T been there, you probably know someone who has. IT and outsourcing markets is often so traumatic that many of us vow never to deal again with him. But the whole process should not be so difficult and unproductive. The purpose of this article is to help you successfully launch a site with a minimum of pain and effort. Who knows, if you play your cards right, it May even be within budget and on time!
The Don? TS
Don t spend too much on web hosting. If you are a small company that has only begun to define your online presence, you don? T need a whole lot! You most certainly does not need 10000MB (10 GB) of web space and 100000MB (100 GB) of bandwidth each month. So don t pay for it! You may be thinking? Well, if it? S relatively cheap and May I need in the future, why do I t just spring for it now? This type of reasoning opens the passing lane. In addition, web hosts these offers are hoping that you won? T really use the massive features. D'experts web developers and users will be able to use this type of space and bandwidth, however, and the final result is a stalemate and the slowness of the host. Go to something reliable and economical, but l? Probably even faster.
Don t mold your site to a pre-defined set. Although your local newspaper advertising for developing one? Page 5-site with a logo for only $ 995? May be tempting, don t for the fall. Any company that sells pre-established Web site packages (or charges based on the number of pages) a bad idea. Web development should be a custom-fitting jobs. Your site is a business tool, and should be put in place to exact specifications that enable it to complete the rest of your business. If you compromise your site? S feature, you jeopardize its ability to help you make money.
Don t start the project until you're fully prepared. The best way to ruin a Web development project is to start before you're ready. All need not be in perfect order when you're shopping around for development, but once you select a developer and begin work, be prepared will only slow down your project and lead to many rising costs. Avoid this by purchasing your domain and web hosting, wrote to all content, and decide on the general layout you like, all before the project began.
Don t compare apples to oranges. Not all web developers are created equal, it is fruitless and unwise to compare them on a single reference (the price). Although some? Full-service? companies will create your website, upload it to your domain, and maintain the site to make sure you? s up-to-date, others simply an e-mail folder full of files and you know what must be done from there. Similarly, some companies will revise the finished product more and more until you? Re satisfied while others believe that you pay for a work project and no more. Be aware of these differences and understand what is incorporated in different price for each supplier.
Don? T too much focus on eye-candy. Remember what your site is for. Unless you're the exception to the rule, the purpose of your site is either: a) provide information about your product / service or enterprise, b) allow users to buy directly from the site or c) both. In all cases, the site must be easy to understand, navigate and exploitation. If your site is so new-age and graphs that users have no idea how to get around, or worse? It takes too long to load, you? Fri defeated the purpose of its creation.
The Do? S
Have a marketing budget for your website. Launching a website without a marketing plan in general always results in a zero return on investment. Why? Because there are millions of sites on the Internet, and if you don? T market your site, nobody will come. Contrary to a type of brick and mortar institution that benefits from exposure to passers-by, your site will not be seen by anyone until you tell people there. Enjoy the fact that your site can reach more potential customers than a small window ever could. Set aside funds marketing at the beginning of your project.
If you haven? T been there, you probably know someone who has. IT and outsourcing markets is often so traumatic that many of us vow never to deal again with him. But the whole process should not be so difficult and unproductive. The purpose of this article is to help you successfully launch a site with a minimum of pain and effort. Who knows, if you play your cards right, it May even be within budget and on time!
The Don? TS
Don t spend too much on web hosting. If you are a small company that has only begun to define your online presence, you don? T need a whole lot! You most certainly does not need 10000MB (10 GB) of web space and 100000MB (100 GB) of bandwidth each month. So don t pay for it! You may be thinking? Well, if it? S relatively cheap and May I need in the future, why do I t just spring for it now? This type of reasoning opens the passing lane. In addition, web hosts these offers are hoping that you won? T really use the massive features. D'experts web developers and users will be able to use this type of space and bandwidth, however, and the final result is a stalemate and the slowness of the host. Go to something reliable and economical, but l? Probably even faster.
Don t mold your site to a pre-defined set. Although your local newspaper advertising for developing one? Page 5-site with a logo for only $ 995? May be tempting, don t for the fall. Any company that sells pre-established Web site packages (or charges based on the number of pages) a bad idea. Web development should be a custom-fitting jobs. Your site is a business tool, and should be put in place to exact specifications that enable it to complete the rest of your business. If you compromise your site? S feature, you jeopardize its ability to help you make money.
Don t start the project until you're fully prepared. The best way to ruin a Web development project is to start before you're ready. All need not be in perfect order when you're shopping around for development, but once you select a developer and begin work, be prepared will only slow down your project and lead to many rising costs. Avoid this by purchasing your domain and web hosting, wrote to all content, and decide on the general layout you like, all before the project began.
Don t compare apples to oranges. Not all web developers are created equal, it is fruitless and unwise to compare them on a single reference (the price). Although some? Full-service? companies will create your website, upload it to your domain, and maintain the site to make sure you? s up-to-date, others simply an e-mail folder full of files and you know what must be done from there. Similarly, some companies will revise the finished product more and more until you? Re satisfied while others believe that you pay for a work project and no more. Be aware of these differences and understand what is incorporated in different price for each supplier.
Don? T too much focus on eye-candy. Remember what your site is for. Unless you're the exception to the rule, the purpose of your site is either: a) provide information about your product / service or enterprise, b) allow users to buy directly from the site or c) both. In all cases, the site must be easy to understand, navigate and exploitation. If your site is so new-age and graphs that users have no idea how to get around, or worse? It takes too long to load, you? Fri defeated the purpose of its creation.
The Do? S
Have a marketing budget for your website. Launching a website without a marketing plan in general always results in a zero return on investment. Why? Because there are millions of sites on the Internet, and if you don? T market your site, nobody will come. Contrary to a type of brick and mortar institution that benefits from exposure to passers-by, your site will not be seen by anyone until you tell people there. Enjoy the fact that your site can reach more potential customers than a small window ever could. Set aside funds marketing at the beginning of your project.
@ Robin - Yeah, there are a lot of options, which can be good and bad. It's best to do as much research and due diligence before you make a final decision. If you really want to buy a business, then I suggest searching the Internet to what is available in your area. There are sites, like BizTrader.com, which are online global marketplaces where you can buy and sell businesses. They can also provide you with additional resources like finding a lender, broker, etc.
I also suggest checking out current books and magazines for help and advice. Local small business groups can also be very helpful, and it doesn't hurt to network.
Good luck!