More and companies have their own websites and most businesses are connected to the Internet, and use the World Wide Web as a major source of information. A potential customer will use the Internet to carry out research not only on what products are available, but also how much they will cost from different suppliers.
Don’t loose your Advantage.
Even if someone is simply trying to find out a contact address for a company, the chances are that they will use one of the many search engines that are available. Seriously when was the last time you actually used the Yellow Pages to find anything?
The type of business you have will dictate the style of website you choose to create. If you are a smaller independent trader, then the business website may be as simple as one or two pages informing visitors about what the company has to offer. If you are a little larger you may want to have a more interactive site that allows your customers to purchase or interact with you to get more information.
If you are not quite sure of the type of site you want to have, just go to Google and type in your business keywords and check to see what your competitors are doing. This is the best measure of what is expected in your industry.
Communicate with your customers
Many businesses use the Internet and their website as the sole means of selling or communicating publicly with their customers. No matter what style of site you create, make sure that you have a way to register, leave you feedback, fill in a form or submit their email to your new Weekly Newsletter. Just think of how powerful your new email list will be to stay in contact with your customers!
A Great First Impression
If your business is considering setting up a website, it is important to remember that the look of a website creates an impression in the visitors’ minds of the business itself. If the web site looks professional and neat and tidy, then the visitor will be inclined to think that the business is similarly professional.
The lesson here is, if you Look like a Pro and Act like a Pro perhaps your customers will Consider you to be a Pro.
Getting Started
A business website need not be an expensive undertaking. Anyone with a slight knowledge of HTML can create a web site in a matter of minutes using nothing more sophisticated than a simple text editor. There are also several free or inexpensive software packages available that make the task of building a good-looking site a relatively simple matter. My favorite editor is HtmlValidator, you can try it for free.
Using a Pro
For a more professional look, you may choose to use the services of a web design company. They will work with you to ensure that the look and feel of the web site reflects well on the type and nature of the business. You don’t have to worry about the technology, they will handle it all for you. Be prepared to spend anywhere from $3500 to $15,000 to have a complete custom site designed. I have a list of providers that I have worked if you want more information just ask me.
Learn to Compromise
If you are looking for the compromise between a cheap and cheerful web site and a professionally designed one, then you can do it in-house by using a commercial package such as Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver. Both of these packages will produce excellent results and can handle everything from page layout to uploading the finished results to a web server. The real issue that I have with these tools is that they do not create Search Engine Optimized text, but more on that in a later issue!
Use a Template
My personal favorite option if you choose not to have a fully customized site or don’t have the resources to write one in-house is to utilize a web template. For an excellent option take a look at TemplateMonster.com Templates range anywhere from fifty to a few hundred dollars and considering what you get it is money well spent.