The Internet offers unlimited potential for home-based entrepreneurs. Undoubtedly, the greatest single improvement to the fortunes of the home based entrepreneur has been the arrival of the Internet. Where else can you launch a worldwide business for less than the price of a month’s advertising in your favourite magazine? But despite the opportunities, the Internet is awash with global business failures. There are any number of reasons for this, but lurking somewhere will either be one or a combination of these factors:
Creating a website for your business
As I said earlier, before you go any further and even attempt to build your own site or commission someone to do it for you make sure that you have clearly identified your objective in having your own website. This is absolutely crucial to your future success. For example, my businesses include a gardening business, cycle shop and boat hire. The objectives for each of my sites differs considerably
BUILD YOUR OWN WEBSITE OR EMPLOY SOMEONE?
When it comes to creating your own website you’ll have to decide whether or not you want to create your own site or have someone build it for you. Personally I prefer to build my own websites for the simple reason that I can update them whenever I like without having to pay fees to a web designer.
Sign up to a hosting company which offers template building
You can create a professional-looking site without having to have specialist knowledge. For example, most template websites are simply a matter of pointing at a menu and clicking the feature you want, then adding the text in the boxes.
There is an ever-growing number of companies offering these ready-made templates for your business, but you need to be careful as the quality of the templates can range from absolutely garbage to excellent. Most sites offer a free trial where you can sign up for 24 hours and try out the templates before committing yourself. It’s well worth doing this.
Build your own site using software
If you have a basic knowledge of HTML or you already have web-building software, for example Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage, you can either build your own site or purchase a ready-made template and then adjust this to suit your needs.
The disadvantage is that you will still need to pay a hosting company to host your site and you will also need to register your name. My personal preference is to have it all with one company and then if either you need help or there is a problem you only have one company to contact.
Free website hosting and free template
There a number of companies that will allow you use their templates free of charge including hosting your site on one of their servers, but in return your site will either have to display their ads, or visitors will be bombarded with annoying pop-up ads.
Have a page on an online directory
This is where you buy a page on another website’s directory. I can see absolutely no advantage in doing this. The success of your site will depend on factors outside your direct control. You will have no control over the marketing of the parent directory site or have any influence over the direction it goes.
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