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 So
you want to set up a website! Here's my quick-and-dirty approach
to getting your site up quickly and cost-effectively.
1.
Register
your domain name. Can't find the name you want? Scroll
to the bottom of the page on the registration site and you'll
see several ideas. Still need more ideas? Invest in a copy of
NameRazor
for just $35.
Why
do I recommend this site? It lets you set up an account so that
you can manage your domain (or multiple domains). You can change
your server, park the domain, change contact info, etc. Unless
you've wrestled with this with other companies, you can't appreciate
all of these capabilities. For now, trust me! 
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2. Host
your site. You can pay anywhere from $5 to $25 per month for
hosting. Even more if you want special capabilities. I've found with
all of my clients that everyone can work with this Host. It's less than
$100 per year, if you pay in advance. If you pay quarterly, it's a little
more. The host will be set up within 24 hours.
Note: You'll
need to go into your account at Dotster and change your name server
to the Hostsave names. If you need help doing this, contact
me and I'll walk you through it.
If you
need to host mutiple sites, there is a
site that can handle that for you affordably. If you're new, I suggest
you get your first site up and running before you tackle multiple sites.
However, if you see the domain names you want, register them now. Internet
real estate goes away quickly!
3. Create
your site. Do you need to be a web designer? No, but it helps! Here
are a few ideas:
a. Purchase
a template ($5-10) for your site so that the design work is taken
care of. Then all you have to do is enter your information in the
templates.
b. Purchase
a package with templates and a web creation program. Profit-pulling
webpages not only gives you multiple templates, but it also provides
a step-by-step tutorial on how to use a free web design tool. For
under $25, you can be up and running almost immediately.
c. Learn
to use a web creation program. FrontPage and DreamWeaver are examples.
There are TONS of websites dedicated to teaching you these programs.
Here's a good
page with lots of links to other sites.
Here's the latest possibility. After many years of looking for one
I could recommend, I've found a "builder" product. This
combines hosting with a web creation package. Essentially you choose
a template, fill in your content (much like you would in a word processor),
then click to publish your pages. You have all the capabilities of
creating your own pages without having to learn a web creation program.
And your site can be up and running within an hour or two. Here's
the one I recommend.
d. Hire
a professional to do it. There are many choices; however, a simple
5-page site should never cost you over $1000! For the latest list
of web designers I recommend, send an email to Designers@TechTamers.com
My
prejudice is to always hire a professional. If you follow the principle
that you should "spend 80% of your time doing what you are uniquely
qualified to do", then you'll easily see the wisdom of hiring a
professional for this job.
Here's my
latest product that could be answer you're looking for! The
8 Hour Website. Yes, it walks you through all the decisions you
need to make to get your site up and running in 8 hours or less. If
you've been putting off creating your multi-page information site, this
is the solution. It even recommends the hosting and design solution
that lets you get it all running in 8 hours.
4.
Add a shopping
cart. There is only one choice, as far as I am concerned. This
shopping cart has distinguished itself so far above the rest that it's
left the competition in the dust. Why do I feel so strongly about this?
Because I've used other carts - and they will all cost you a lot more
in the long run. If you're just starting start with the lowest level.
You can upgrade later. Contact
me for a free copy of the 30-minute quickstart I created for the
shopping system.
5.
Collect money. Again, there are several options. Here are my three
favorites:
Paypal
is a way to collect money without a merchant account. It's easy to use
and affordable.
ClickBank
is another way to collect money AND have affiliates selling your items.
Again, it's easy to use and affordable - plus you'll have a lot of people
who can sell your products for you!
Your
own merchant account. In 2 weeks you can be accepting credit cards
at your site. This company actually provides you with an 800# where
you can talk to a human being, PLUS they post their merchant account
rates. Great service and great rates.
If
you need a merchant
account in a hurry, then this is your best bet. I've never heard
any negative comments about them and they are fast.
6.
Expand. Your website is a never-ending project. In fact, it will
go through four
stages. And your learning curve will go through many stages, as
well. So keep learning and keep asking questions. To ask me a question,
email Cates@TechTamers.com.
======================
Dr. Jeanette Cates, The Technology Tamer™, helps small business
owners turn their websites into gold. She is the founder of TechTamers
and author of Online
Success Tactics: 101 ways to build your small business. She is a
frequent presenter at national and state conferences.
©
2002 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your
web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information
is provided to www.TechTamers.com.
