Believe it or not there are many, many businesses in Southwest Iowa without websites. They are probably not reading this because, well, they are just not into the Internet thing. The problem is, their customers are.
An October 2007 Nielsen survey revealed that search engines on the internet were rated the number one resource for finding local business information. 74% of respondents sighted search engines to be the first place they went to when locating local businesses.
So spread the word to those business owners who are still typing out invoices on their old typewriter. They need a website. Even if they think their customers aren’t into the Internet either. Maybe their current customers aren’t. But they will be. And there might be a whole audience that they are missing.
If they hmm and haw and tell you that it is just to much of a commitment or too much money, tell them about these resources that will help them have a presence on the internet in no time.
11 Steps To Create a Successful Website from StartUpNation.com. – A great step by step guide with plenty of resources.
DIY Websites – StartUpNation.com lists out the best of the best do it yourself websites. There are many DIY packages that make it easy to build a website. Most include customizable templates that have all basic functions built in. Businesses can point and click their way to a website in no time at all. Costs start at $10 and include domain names, web hosting, and more. The more bells and whistles, the higher the price.
Professionally Designed Websites – Hiring a Website development company does not necessarily mean that it will cost you thousands of dollars and hundreds more to keep it updated. Most website development companies design the website for a fee and give the customer the capability to easily make changes themselves. Darwin Brown, owner of DARMEDIA in Glenwood, Iowa, offers services ranging from basic to complex. Darwin offers this advice: Prepare as much of the information you want on the website as possible including text, photos, links, etc. This will cut down on the designers’ hourly rate charges. Start here before you hire a designer for great tips on what to prepare. Businesses can expect to pay $300 to $500 for the basics. Again… the more bells and whistles, the higher the price.
If businesses that you know are still slumped over the typewriter, have them give the Small Business Development Center at the IWCC Entrepreneurial Center a call. We are a free resource and have experts that will help them every step of the way.