Things to Consider When Setting Up Shop on the Web

With all the Internet addresses you see in TV, print and billboard advertising, it can seem as if every business these days is on the World Wide Web.

If you’re thinking of joining the crowd, or if you have a Web site and are considering changing it, you need to think about what you hope to accomplish from your ventures into cyberspace.

My advice stems in part from experience with my Web site. I don’t sell products or services to the general public, but having an outpost in cyberspace has helped me market my writing to publications and has landed me TV and radio appearances and speaking engagements. Mainly, it serves as an electronic resume.

If editors or TV producers express interest in my services, I direct them to my Web page, where they can evaluate what I have to offer. If they like what they see, there’s a better chance they’ll call me back. If not, well, at least they’re basing their decision on real data. If nothing else, it’s faster and cheaper than sending a brochure and a lot easier to read than a fax.

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Some companies use their Web sites to sell product. Hot Hot Hot, an Old Pasadena hot-sauce emporium, has sold a lot of salsa on the Net. It’s the kind of product that lends itself to Web-based purchases. Dell Computer has made millions selling PCs online. The Net is also a good way to sell books, records, software and other items that don’t require a lot of tire kicking. The key to selling online is having a product that can easily be explained through words and pictures. It helps if the product is unusual or hard to find.

Services are hard to sell over the Web, but you can build an awareness of what you offer. Professionals, including lawyers, CPAs, even doctors and dentists, have used the Web to help establish their credentials.

The Web is a great way to serve your existing customers with technical support, product literature or other information that keeps them happy and coming back. Most major computer companies, for example, use their Web sites to provide technical support and software updates. The Web is a wonderful place to educate customers about your products or services. About a year ago, I had a leaky bathroom faucet. In the middle of the night I went to Peerless Faucet’s Web site (https://www.peerless-faucet.com/), where I found a 24-hour toll-free number that led me to someone who told me how to stop the leak. I’ll remember that the next time I need a new faucet and, after I buy the faucet, I’ll go back to that page for installation instructions.

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You also can use the Web to distribute coupons, announce promotions or gather information about prospective customers by having them fill out a form in exchange for a coupon or other consideration. If you do this, be sure you have a policy regarding the privacy and confidentiality of information people give you. Post that policy on the Web and stick to it. Web surfers tend to be protective about their privacy and appreciate companies that respect it.

With a Web site, you can have your customers do some of your work for you by filling out forms and ordering online rather than dictating the information to your employee. Some people prefer entering data on the Web to talking to a person.

Your Web site is also a way to network with other businesses or organizations. You can create reciprocal links to sites compatible with yours. A hotel or motel, for example, might link to Web sites from nearby restaurants, stores and attractions as well as those of a local newspaper and city government.

If you decide to create a Web site, there are certain things you should consider. The first is your site’s design. Setting up a basic Web site is relatively easy. As I’ll discuss in an upcoming column, a number of software programs let you design and lay out a site without knowing programming code.

But things get a bit more complicated when you start to include forms for feedback, orders and other information you wish to collect on the site. For that you’ll probably need a consultant, unless you’re a very quick study. Your Internet service provider (ISP) can help, but you don’t need to use one to design your site. Thousands of companies perform this service. Point your Web browser to https://www.larrysworld.com/websites.htm for links to designers and other sites with information about setting up a business Web site.

Whether you design your site or bring in a consultant, be sure the design isn’t complicated. I believe that Web sites, like most things in life, should be as simple as possible. Your site might not win design awards, but you’re more likely to have happy users if you keep it simple, minimize your use of graphics and avoid gimmicks like animation, background sounds, Java scripts, video and other extras that often slow and clutter your site. This is especially important if your design skills are limited, but I’ve seen pretty awful sites that were put together by highly skilled and well-paid professional designers.

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It’s generally a good idea to get your own domain name (mine is “Larrysworld.com”) because it identifies your site with your business and it’s usually easier to remember than the obscure name you’re likely to get if you go with what your ISP offers you. Domain names cost $100 for the first two years and $50 for each additional year. Your ISP can arrange this for you, or you can do it by going to Internic’s site at https://rs.internic.net/rs-internic.html

It’s important to keep your site up to date. That’s not to say you have to update it all the time. If your site is mainly a place where people can find out what you do and how to reach you, there’s no reason to update it unless things change. But if you promote events, be sure to change the site when the events are over, and if you change your products or services, be sure to update the site immediately.

You may write to Lawrence J. Magid at magid@latimes.com and visit his Web site at https://www.larrysworld.com