If you build it, they will come
Sooner or later it's likely to happen: Your
business will be on the Web. When it happens will vary, depending on
your situation and your ability to resist change. It may be after the
new customers from your telephone book ad start to dwindle or it could
be when you decide to keep up with your new competition.
GET LISTED IN DIRECTORIES
A Web presence will make your business easier to
find, and it doesn't have to cost you a cent. A simple (and free) way to
start off involves getting your business listed with as many
construction/home-improvement directories as you can find. Most of the
good ones are only too happy to list your business for free because it
increases the value of their directories and makes their Web site appear
more attractive to potential advertisers. They have simple forms to fill
out and some will even let you choose a password so that you can later
edit your listing.
They will also usually offer "upgraded"
listings that would give your business a higher profile and make it more
likely to be seen. Before you pay for such a listing, you should ask
yourself: "What are they doing to promote your business and put your
listing in front of prospective customers?"
Another thing you can look into is free Web sites
offered by some Web
communities. Many come with online creation tools that can create fairly
sophisticated Web sites with just limited basic skills. If you don't
have a need for really complicated features, these may be your best bet
to get you started.
Why are they free? Well, because they usually come
with a banner ad space at the top, which offsets the cost of the
software and server space. If the ads bother you, they can sometimes be
removed for a small monthly fee. They are, however, usually generic in
nature and non-competitive so they are not seen as a problem.
BUYING A DOMAIN NAME
One Web-site expense that might be worth your
money is a domain name. Most free Web sites will have a long URL (name
that must be typed in) and it may be hard to remember.
You can purchase the rights to a domain name for
$35 per year or less. This would allow you to name the site what you
want (say mywebsite.com)
- as long as the name is not already taken - and you can usually get
it redirected to your existing free Web site. That means that someone
could get there by typing in the original (long) name or the new one
that you chose.
DRAWING IN VISITORS
OK, you've got your site up (put a little
'hit' counter on it too) and are waiting for people to come to buy
stuff, ask questions, or simply to see the counter move. This is where
many get quickly discouraged and often give up. Why aren't people
coming? It's because the Web's a really big place and no one knows
you're there yet. It can be like having a phone but your name's not in
the book.
The various directory listings can help (make sure
that your Web address is in the listing too). Get listed in as many
directories as you can.
As far as search engines go, some may eventually
find your site and some may not. It's best that you 'submit' your
site to the search engines so they can catalog its information. You can
either submit your site to each individually or use a service to submit
to multiple search engines simultaneously. You can also join a banner
exchange program or trade links with other compatible sites.
The key thing to remember is that the Web can be a
great advertising medium for your business, but first you'll need a
little understanding and a lot of patience. Go for it!
Bill Addiss
Electrical Contractor Network
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