| Introduction | | | | for information, organized to store information (or |
| If you have never considered a web site for your | | | | "data") in a logical and efficient manner. The many |
| business, ask yourself how much business you would | | | | uses and inherent power of databases can make a |
| have without your telephone. For centuries, | | | | dynamic web site a critical business tool. They can be |
| businesses worked just fine without them, but now | | | | used to store product information (including pictures), |
| it's hard to imagine operating a business without one. | | | | customer purchases and preferences, and even the |
| At some point, every organization had to make a | | | | text and graphics that will appear on your web |
| choice to install a phone line or risk going belly-up. A | | | | pages. |
| similar make-or-break point is quickly approaching for | | | | That last item is called "content management" and is |
| businesses without a web site. What debatably is a | | | | quickly becoming an expected feature of a |
| luxury now will soon become a necessity. But as | | | | well-designed web site. It allows the web site owner |
| scary as this scenario may seem, there are steps | | | | to make changes to his or her site by simply |
| you can take to make sure your business enterprise | | | | changing the data in the database, without requiring a |
| makes the transition successfully and, in the process, | | | | call to the web site developer or designer. It can be |
| capitalize on the new avenues to the customer that | | | | used to change the price or description of a product, |
| a web site creates. | | | | or to promote weekly or monthly specials or |
| So, What is It and What Can It Do? To get us | | | | promotions. |
| started by using the simplest of terms, the internet | | | | Jumping In: What to Look For and what to Avoid |
| can be considered a network of computers around | | | | Finding the right designer is key to the success of |
| the world sharing information. An individual personal | | | | your web project. Do a quick search online and count |
| computer that requests the information is called a | | | | the number of web designers offering "Three pages |
| "client" and the numerous computers that store and | | | | for $999!" or similarly vague promises. Purchasing a |
| dish out the information are called "servers." A web | | | | web site for your business should not be treated like |
| site is simply a collection of related web pages | | | | a trip to the local strip mall to buy sneakers. It will be |
| served from a single server. Pages can be "static" | | | | the face of your business for every potential |
| (displaying predetermined pictures and text, also | | | | customer that visits it, and the first impression it |
| known as "content") or "dynamic" (interactive pages | | | | gives will stick in the visitor's mind, for better or |
| that can be changed by the visitor). Most web sites | | | | worse. As such a flexible opportunity to express the |
| for small businesses are stored and operated by a | | | | merits and values of your business, it makes little |
| server maintained by an internet service provider, or | | | | sense to adopt a generic, one-size-fits-all strategy. |
| "host." Before a web site can be exposed to the | | | | Designers operating such budget shops depend on |
| world, a host must be chosen. Common | | | | high volume to turn a profit. You are unlikely to get |
| considerations in choosing a host are cost, storage | | | | any kind of individualized attention, and if you want |
| space, reliability, security, programming languages | | | | the technical aspects explained to you in even |
| supported, and speed (if you've ever wondered why | | | | general terms, you'll probably be directed to a vanilla |
| some web pages take so long to download to your | | | | "frequently asked questions" list. In addition, changes |
| browser, the speed of the host server is one limiting | | | | to your initial design may be prohibitively expensive |
| factor). | | | | (this is where budget operations make the bulk of |
| The name of the web site ( for example) is called | | | | their money), the code may well be insecure and |
| the "domain name." A master list of domain names is | | | | shoddy, and proprietary language in the contract may |
| maintained that tells a client which server to contact | | | | even prohibit you from allowing a third-party to alter |
| when a page from a given domain is requested by a | | | | the code. |
| browser. Before a web site can be opened, a domain | | | | Likewise, designers that charge flat hourly rates for |
| name must be purchased (these can be cheap -- | | | | work performed may be a poor bet as well. You |
| mine was $5 per year -- or expensive, if the domain | | | | may be charged for things that you could easily do |
| name has already been purchased by a "broker," who | | | | yourself, like registering a domain name, or regularly |
| holds the domain name hostage until it is sold to the | | | | changing content (provided a robust content |
| highest bidder). A fancy, expensive domain name is | | | | management feature is not included in the original |
| not necessary for most small businesses (all of the | | | | design). The open-ended nature of the hourly pricing |
| common variations on were already taken, for | | | | model leaves you open to cost overruns, as well, and |
| example, so I simply named my site instead). | | | | you can bet the designer will try to take as long as |
| Things to Consider Before Staking Your E-Claim The | | | | possible to get the most money out of you. |
| most important consideration before you jump into | | | | A much better option is using a local, flat-fee |
| the online business world is what your site will be | | | | consultant to create your web site. Your project will |
| used to do and how complex you want it to be, as | | | | be given individual attention, and you will actually be |
| this will greatly influence your ultimate cost. If you | | | | able to meet the person to whom you are entrusting |
| simply want to tell people what products or services | | | | the online aspect of your business. A flat-fee model |
| you sell, a small static site will do. If you want | | | | also ensures that you will know exactly what you are |
| potential customers to take an action on your site, | | | | getting and exactly what it will cost. Think about it: |
| like purchase your products ("e-commerce") or | | | | don't you feel better taking your car in to a trusted |
| request a catalog, you will need a developer to write | | | | mechanic and securing an estimate before the work |
| the instructions for your application (also known as | | | | is actually performed? Why would your business |
| "code"). Brainstorming possible things to put on a site | | | | deserve any less? |
| is one of the real joys of owning one. A distinction | | | | Other things to be wary of are promises to submit |
| must be made at this point between "design" and | | | | your site to 10,000 search engines or something |
| "development." While the terms are often used | | | | similar. In fact, there are only a handful of search |
| interchangeably, they can in fact require very | | | | engine providers (like Yahoo!, Google, Ask.com, and |
| different skills. For the purpose of this conversation, | | | | MSN) and the others use these mega-indexes to |
| "design" refers to the attractive placement of | | | | return their results. Also, submitting your URL to |
| graphics and text on a page and "development" | | | | search engines is often free and very easy to do; |
| refers to the creation of a full application which could | | | | don't pay someone to do it for you unless you just |
| include forms for the user to fill out, buttons for | | | | don't have a few minutes to do it yourself. If you |
| ordering and paying for products, and so forth. The | | | | think search engine positioning is critical to the |
| complexity of the site is usually determined by its | | | | success of your business, find an advertising agency |
| purpose. Advertising by itself requires the sound use | | | | that specializes in it. Similarly, if you expect the |
| of design elements, while e-commerce or another | | | | content of your site to change periodically, insist on |
| functional purpose also requires proper development, | | | | (and be prepared to pay for) a good conent |
| including efficient access to product information, | | | | management system. |
| secure order processing, and an intelligent storage | | | | Conclusion There is no business that can't benefit |
| scheme for customer account information. | | | | from a well-conceived and well-designed web site. |
| Keep in mind that advertising online is completely | | | | From providing a convenient contact point and |
| different than advertising in a newspaper or on | | | | advertising space to delivering an easy and secure |
| television. The latter are passive media, requiring | | | | way to order your products to granting others a |
| nothing of the consumer other than looking at the | | | | way to view internal information that might |
| message. The web is an interactive medium, requiring | | | | otherwise be delivered by paper, a proper web site |
| the consumer to actively seek you out. A good way | | | | can make or break a business in the 21st century. |
| to attract potential customers to your site is by | | | | Key to success is knowing exactly what you want |
| offering them something just for visiting. For | | | | your web site to be and finding the right designer to |
| example, a carpet retailer might offer a tutorial on | | | | create it. That would be someone who truly is a |
| the best way to install carpet, which might in turn | | | | "consultant" and not simply someone who will throw |
| cause the customer to choose that particular carpet | | | | things together for the lowest price. |
| retailer when he or she is ready to purchase. | | | | With intelligent planning and a little creative thinking, |
| Another major consideration is whether your site will | | | | you will find owning and running a web site to be an |
| require a "database." A database is a storage place | | | | incredibly rewarding aspect of doing business. |