| You have a great idea for an online business and a | | | | Launching an online business has a lot in common with |
| "hot" product or service that's a real winner. Now all | | | | opening a brick and mortar store but it is the ability to |
| you need is a great website design and web hosting | | | | reach thousands of people simultaneously that makes |
| company to start raking in the profits. | | | | your website design so crucial; it has to be structured |
| Okay, you can wake up now, because if this is your | | | | to function properly in many different browsers; your |
| idea of how an online business becomes profitable you | | | | website visitors may be using Apple Safari, Mozilla |
| are dreaming. The path to enjoy success in any | | | | Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape or Opera |
| venture online or offline starts with a business plan that | | | | to view your site. Plus they may all be connecting to |
| outlines the who, how, what, where and why of your | | | | the Internet differently; dial-up modems, broadband, |
| idea for the market. | | | | DSL, cable or T1 connections are all in use today. Your |
| The foundation of your business is the website design | | | | website design must be built to load quickly regardless |
| and not just ANY website design will do. To take full | | | | of the speed of their connection. |
| advantage of the commercial potential of the Internet, | | | | Your plan should also include website design usability |
| your website design MUST be compliant with the | | | | factors that enable the visitor to adjust the type font |
| Internet of TODAY. I am emphasizing these points for | | | | size or change the background color to make it easier |
| a good reason: there are hundreds of templates, | | | | to read. Even if you are focusing your marketing |
| software packages and yes even designers creating | | | | efforts on a local audience, people who speak many |
| websites that worked fine 2 years ago. The Internet | | | | different languages and use different currencies will |
| technology is rapidly transforming; you can see this for | | | | have access to your website. Provide language and |
| yourself by looking at the changes in the way Google | | | | currency conversion on your website can increase |
| and Yahoo index websites. Using a website design | | | | your sales. |
| that is built on Internet standards of 2003 will most likely | | | | When you have all of the information you need to |
| put your search engine listing on page 100. | | | | create your basic website design, think about how you |
| Creating a website design plan focuses the reality of | | | | want your online business to function in 1, 3 and 5 |
| how people shop for products and services online; you | | | | years; if you are offering a product or service line, how |
| know that the search engines are used, but do you | | | | many additions do you plan to make in the next 12 |
| know how YOUR audience uses them? Do you know | | | | months? This will determine the type of database you |
| what other methods they use to find what they want? | | | | will use and the number of pages your website will |
| A basic plan for your website is built around the type | | | | have. Use this information to select the "home" of your |
| of business you want to operate online; is it to sell | | | | business: the web hosting company provides the |
| electronic products like software or e-books? Are you | | | | technical support that enables your website design to |
| selling hard goods that must be shipped to the | | | | function, providing your visitors with access to your |
| customer? The answers to these questions will | | | | products or services. Make sure that they have the |
| determine the components of your website design. | | | | capabilities to support your website design functions. |