How to get your business online
This article is for all those who have asked "how do I get my
business online?" or have just plain been putting it off because
you dont know where to start or who can help or how much it will
cost.
Why should I put my business online? Well, there are several
reasons why you should.
Firstly, its a great 'connection point' between you and your
customers or partners. They can visit your website at anytime
that suits them to find out more about you, your products,
ordering, or just get more information. Previously they would
have had to physically visit you or use the telephone and
actually speak to you. They can contact you with questions,
complaints, recommendations or just to gauge how
helpful/efficient you are at anytime without speaking to you or
being face-to-face with you. Its another way to deal,
communicate and interact with you. It puts the emphasis on the
customer and their needs and removes the pushy salesman from the
process. This level of anonymity encourages the customer to get
what they want more than ever before or go somewhere else where
they will get it.
Secondly, the Internet enables the customer to shop around much
more easily and cheaply than ever before. It is as easy to
research and buy a product that is sold in another country as it
is to do it for one in your own country and all for the cost of
a local call. Timezones are largely irrelevant on the Internet.
Thirdly, a website is entirely flexible and can be designed from
scratch specifically for your business and customers, regardless
of the industry you are in and the size of your business.
Fourth, it is low cost. You can build a website to meet your
budget.
What do you need to do?
Get a web address - often called a domain name/URL. When someone
types in your web address i.e. www.youraddress.com into their
Internet enabled computer, they see your website. Get a name
that is easily remembered by your customers. You'll need to
renew it regularly to keep the name.
Get some webspace - often called hosting. A company (the host)
will rent you space on its computer. You store your website in
that space. Your web address will point here so that when the
web address is typed in by the customer, they will be directed
to your website automatically. Make sure you get a fast and
reliable host and therefore your website is always available and
quickly. Read host reviews or ask people you know to recommend a
host.
Research - before doing anything else do some research. Look at
other websites, styles, navigation, content, functions, etc.
What do you like? What dont you like? What do your customers
want? What dont they want? What are your competitors doing? What
arent they doing? Set some clear objectives for your site. Write
them down in order of priority and work towards them throughout
the project.
Content - The most important of all. Whether its text, images,
functions, data or anything else, spend some time getting it
right. It must of course, all meet your clear objectives.
Design and build your website - you can do this yourself but I
dont recommend it unless you are confident you can do it well
and have enough time to do it. Hire someone to do it all for
you. Make sure you are happy to deal with them and that they
dont just want to design a pretty website for their portfolio.
They should make all the right noises about how the website will
fit into your business and how your customers will benefit from
it. Again, remember your clear objectives.
Evaluation - check your website meets all your objectives. Check
everything works as it should and is easy to understand and use
by your customers. Do you need to make any improvements/changes?
Publish - put your new website into your webspace.
Congratulations your business is online!
Finally, review your website initially and regularly thereafter
to make sure it is still meeting your customers requirements and
to see if it can be improved or developed further.
Good luck and dont forget to let me know how you get on.