Can I Afford a Web Site?
By Greg Owen-Boger
© 2005 OwenProCo, Inc.
Article originally published in "Boss," the official magazine of the
National Business Association
Perhaps a better question would be: can I afford NOT to have a web
site?
Let’s face it, your competition is probably already on-line. You need
to use every tool available just to keep up. So look at your web site as
an investment in your company’s future. Besides, the internet isn't
going away... might as well make it work for you.
Web Sites Are Marketing Tools
Think of your web site as your new marketing tool which - when applied
correctly - will generate a return on investment. So whatever time or
money you currently spend on marketing, supplementing it with a web site
is probably a good idea. Your site will help you expand geographically
and compete on a much larger scale.
Web Sites Don’t Have To Be Expensive
Admittedly, some web sites are expensive, but yours may not have to be.
First, take a look at your business and decide what type of site will
work best for you. There are two general types.
- On-line Brochure: as its name suggests, this type of site is an
advertisement. It’s goal is to entice prospects to visit your
location, call or e-mail you for more information. Online brochures
are the least expensive to develop and to maintain.
Click
here to build your own brochure-style web site.
- E-commerce: this type of site is like an online catalog that
allows users to purchase items right on the internet. E-commerce
sites are more expensive than on-line brochures because they require
more technology and security issues. The most expensive part of an
E-commerce site is opening a merchant account, but if your business
already accepts credit cards, you may not have to open another one
for your web site.
Click
here to build your own E-commerce web site.
Second, consider your customers and their expectations.
Are they looking for a no-frills site that makes it easy to find a
product, buy it and move on? Or are they looking to be wooed with fancy
graphics and interactive design elements? Do they need to be educated or
do they already know what they need and why? Do people shop around to
get the best price or are you offering something unique that they can’t
find it anywhere else? Technically speaking, how sophisticated are they?
Will they mind downloading new software to view a fancy thing-a-ma-jig
or will that turn them off?
All of these factors play a role in determining your online
investment.
Yeah, But I Still Don’t Know What To Expect to Pay
Let’s break it down.
You’ll pay a one-time design and development fee. These fees vary
widely with most designers charging $30-$100/hour. Of course, the best
way to find out what a designer charges is to ask. You can find a
designer in search engines, the phone book, or by asking around. Check
out OwenProCo Full-Service rates.
There are recurring fees to keep the site running (a good designer
will manage all of these for you):
There are other optional services like search engine submissions and
marketing that will add to your investment but they tend to be
relatively low and usually generate enough traffic to make them worth
your while.
Yikes! That Seems Like a Lot… How can I keep my fees as low as
possible
You’re right, that seems like a lot. But it’s manageable and
necessary. There are a few things you can do to keep the expenses down.
- Design your site yourself using an on-line site builder or
purchase design software. On-line site builders have a very
short learning curve and are pretty flexible allowing for a great
deal of customization. Most offer lots of features—including
E-commerce—and are free to set up and use. You only pay for hosting
(which you’d pay for anyway). Check out the
Do It
Yourself
STORE Builder and the
Do It
Yourself
SITE Builder.
On the other hand, design software suites tend to be more
complicated than on-line site builders, but they offer more
flexibility. If you get in over your head you can always call on a
professional to take care of some of the more technical details.
- Be prepared. If you hire a designer, use that person’s time
efficiently. Remember, they charge by the hour. Before you meet with
the designer, think about your needs and your customers’
expectations. Have a clear idea of what your site will offer the
user. Write some text or gather other sales materials to get ideas
about what your site will say and how it will be said. Also, gather
graphics, like your logo and product pictures, and have them ready
when your designer needs them.
So…
Can you afford a web site? Given the competition and current market
trends you can’t afford NOT to. But like anything else in your business,
knowing what to expect will help you plan and manage your investment to
your greatest advantage.
Click here to build your own E-commerce web site.
Click
here to build your own brochure-style web site.
Click here to have us build your site for you. |
