Most business owners who are approached about getting their own web site usually consider an Internet Presence as not needed. To some extent, this question is still valid for a "limited" number of business types and a short while ago, an Internet Presence was not necessary for a small business. Now a Web Presence has quickly become a necessary investment in a companies overall marketing strategy. The fact is that the Internet has expanded so rapidly that not having a web site would be throwing away a VERY GOOD marketing tool. The smaller the business, the more critical a web presence becomes. The Internet is currently the least expensive means of establishing a business image and enhancing your client services. A Web Presence and Strategy becomes an investment in the future of any business. An Internet Presence can

Portray an established business image by providing email "departments" by providing email addresses for each employee by displaying high quality web site design Reduce customer and technical support costs Provide customers with information about products and services when they need it Provide inter-business information exchange Provide sales staff with current information and even online ordering tools Serve as an inexpensive, but effective, marketing tool.

What can you put on the Web:

Basic Company/Organization Information Vision Services/Products Pricing and Rates page if applicable Case Studies, example work People in the company Press Releases Job Opportunities Business partners, either financial partners or working relationship Awards Contact information: phone,fax,email,postal address,directions,maps,subway,bus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Specifications of products or services Product selector "How to" pages Coverage area provided by services offered Related industry information and links page Currency exchange calculator page Brochures Any advertising that you currently use can be used in your web site. Catalogs Your web site can include a product catalog, complete with pictures, sound, or video. You can also include a searchable index of products. Online Ordering Customers can order and use their credit cards to pay for products at your web site. You can even create a "virtual marketplace" or online shopping mall. Maps Customers can get directions to your business, and can even a map to take with them. Coupons Customers can print coupons from your site, or you can send them coupons through electronic mail. Electronic Mail Customers can send feedback, requests for information, or orders through your web site. You can also send information, offers, and promotional materials to all of your customers. Customer Service Customers can use electronic mail to contact you for support, when they need it. You can also provide support through automated means, such as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, or discussion groups where your customers can help each other. Internet Applications With the introduction of Java, Javascript, and ActiveX technology, web pages can take on a whole new level of interaction. The web can host business applications, providing distributed applications to users worldwide

HOW WILL A WEB SITE HELP ME MARKET MY PRODUCT OR SERVICE?

Watch out for these problems when you decide to get a web site

Domain Name Registration The only fee you should pay for your domain name is that charged by the registration agency. Some hosting services charge extra fees for this which is a poor business practice as they have no overhead costs as well as no business charging for it. Domain Name Administrative Contact Ensure that your name goes in as the administrative contact for your domain name. Otherwise you may run into trouble later on if you decide to change hosting services or you have a falling out with your service provider. The Internic have a complete legal outline of the rules, regulations and procedures that are applicable in such a situation. Promises, Promises Make sure a CLEAR scope of work is included in correspondence between your site design firm and you. Include the fact that final content, design and layout must be approved by you before they are posted to the web site. Have the hosting and design firm clearly specify the pricing arrangements including a description of what each price in the breakdown pertains to. Set unit prices up front before you sign to establish whether minor changes to the web site will be chargeable as well as possibly unit pricing on other aspects of the web site requirements. Here are 10 of the most common mistakes when companies decide to build a web site.

Do's & Don'ts in setting up your own Site

Do Choose your Business Model Carefully Make sure you have thought through your business model for the site before you implement. Think about what you want from the site, in terms of increased awareness, pre-sales support, customer communication, subscription and advertising revenue, or direct selling. Choose your Business Partners Carefully Particularly if you are new to the Internet, you may want to form a relationship with a consultancy or specialist software house to bring your service to market. The closer this relationship, and the more common interest there is in the commercial details, the more chance you have of success. You should have your partner involved at an early stage; look for a company that can help you develop your business model and is prepared to share in the risks and rewards of your enterprise, rather than one whose only interest is in selling you disk space on their server. Make your Site Uptempo To be successful, your site must be useful and compulsive. Stimulate Initial Visits You must make the existence of your site well known. This can be achieved through use of the traditional media, press releases, contacting existing customers, soliciting links from related web sites and Usenet newsgroup announcements. Encourage Repeat Visits You want your prospects to return to your site after the first visit. Make sure that you have an easy to remember url for your front page, and that it is easy for people to find the information they want, both through page navigation, and free-text search. Consider running regular promotions and competitions. Make use of a range of Internet Protocols There is more to the Internet than just http. Successful sites often make extensive use of other protocols, such as ftp for program distribution and mailservers for subscription lists. Actively Maintain your Site Make sure that there are no broken links, and that the information on the pages is consistent with information given to sales, technical support and other customer interfacing staff. Make Comparisons with Existing Sites Check up on the competition, and look out for ideas in unrelated markets that you can apply to your own. Take Care with respect to Security Ask your service provider about the steps he takes to properly secure your site. If possible, use a provider who will give you an individual httpd rather than one which could be compromised by other companies mistakes. A hacked webserver is a very visible form of corporate embarrassment.

Don't Be overly concerned about the technicalities of transactions over the Internet There are usually ways and means to circumvent the difficulties involved in secure payment over the Internet. Subscription services and encouraging customers to set up accounts with you are two popular choices, which may be commercially more attractive than individual isolated transactions. Put boring or irrelevant information on your site Too many people make the mistake of putting voluminous and tedious corporate profile information, or naive Hello, we're here pages on their sites. Put your site on a Server unless it provides a full range of protocols and facilities If your site is to be useful, it is inevitable that you will want to do more than simple web pages. Dither The opportunities available today will not last forever.