Getting started on the Internet

We don”™t have a Web site and don”™t have any money to put toward building one right now. Our customers are always telling me I should have a site so they can look me up on the Internet. I hear sites can be really expensive to do right. I wish we had one, but it”™s just not in the financial cards right now. My business is a small service company based in Stamford. What should I do? Where do I start?

Web sites are like phone book listings in the old days. Potential customers today open up their Internet browser, type in your company”™s name and ”“ nothing! ”“ because you”™re not there. The Web is like a giant phone book, only better, and without a Web address and  site, your company doesn”™t exist. It doesn”™t cost much to get started, so start with the basics and build a framework which you can expand over time.

Name-calling is key
Your first job will be to find a name that isn”™t already in use on the Internet. This will be called your “domain name.” Network Solutions”™ WHOIS, and GoDaddy are a couple of examples of places to look up names on the Internet. Be prepared to try lots of name combinations, such as company name or a description of what your company does.
Don”™t get frustrated if many of the names you want to try are already in use. Keep trying until you find one or more names that work for you. If you plan to use a name that is a plural, check if the singular version of the name is also available. If it is, grab it as well. If the singular version isn”™t available, check out who has it, and decide if you want to be one “s” away from that Web identify.
Once you find a name you like, grab it immediately. Have your credit card standing by. Domain registration should run you a few dollars per year. You will also need to select a “Web host.” Web hosting has become a commodity, so pricing is low, often below $10 a month to get started, more as you add services, cheaper in the long run if you pay upfront for a longer commitment. Check references and research your options. Some firms are local. Many Web designers provide hosting services. And most domain registration firms also offer hosting. You have lots of options.

Show them what you do
Now that you have a domain name and host lined up, your next decision is what you want to do on the Web. Here are a few examples of what you can do with a site:
Announce who you are;
Sell products or services;
Take orders, reservations and service requests;
Relay information to clients;
Educate prospects;
Invite people to sign up for things; and
Connect people.

Start simply, with a one-page announcement of who you are. Provide visitors with ways to contact you ”“ list your phone, snail-mail address and e-mail address. Use pictures as well as words. If you”™re not sure what kinds of pictures to use, consider pictures of clients, people in your company doing what they do and products your company sells. The Web is a great place to make what you do tangible; take advantage of the opportunity.

Ongoing developments
Get your one-page announcement built right away. If you google “do it yourself websites” you”™ll find lots of advice and options. Look at competitor sites for ideas. Find support through networking groups, industry associations, suppliers, your Web host, Web designers, and by asking other small-business owners how they got started.
Decide if you”™re going to do it yourself, or hire someone to help you get started. Factor in the cost of your time, and your skill at doing things on the Internet. If money is tight you may have to do it yourself, working weekends and evenings. Set a deadline. Remember, your goal is to have one professional-looking page up on the Internet a.s.a.p.
Once you have an announcement page on the Web, start on your plan for the future. Interview people who could help develop your site. Lay out on paper what you would eventually like the site to look like, including four to six major categories of information, such as who we are, who are our customers, what we offer, information on our industry, how to contact us. Develop a basic framework on which you can expand. Learn about key words, links and search-engine optimization. Set a budget and put aside money each month to fund site development. Get a plan, and an education, so you are prepared to develop your site over time.

Looking for a good book? Try “Create Your Own Website” (Second Edition) by Scott Mitchell.

Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., a business-consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial firms grow. Do you have a question for Andi? Please send it to her, via e-mail at  HYPERLINK “mailto:AskAndi@StrategyLeaders.com” AskAndi@StrategyLeaders.com or by mail to Andi Gray, Strategy Leaders Inc., 5 Crossways, Chappaqua, NY 10514. She can also be reached by phone at (914) 238-2528.