Should You Buy a Prepackaged Website? (Entrepreneur.com)

Should You Buy a Prepackaged Website?

It's a great way to get started quickly, but consider these factors.

By Jennifer Shaheen | June 23, 2009

The small-business website seems to be one of the simplest things to launch today. Everywhere you turn, companies are giving you what appears to be the perfect website for a startup. It's like walking into Ikea and buying a bookshelf: All you need to do is put it together. Seems simple enough, but before you buy an off-the-shelf website, understand what you're buying and what you need for your business.

Take a moment to sketch out what you need from your website. Today's websites are more than just online brochures, and the first thing to do is outline what you need from your website. Here are few features you may want to think about when creating your list of needs:

Content Control
We all want to control content on our websites and be able to add and edit text. How flexible do you need the text control to be on your website? Do you have special features in mind for working with your website content? Are you concerned about the number of pages? Will you be starting with five pages today, but grow the site to 15 or 20 pages in the next few months?

Design and Layout
Do you have an idea about how you want your website to look and work? Do you want your website to have a navigation bar at the top of your webpage, the side or both? Are you hoping to have some pages with a layout that is in one color and a separate section in another color? Some template services only allow one theme, so this is an important question.

Online Forms
Do you need your website to collect information through online forms? Will you need more than one form on your website? Where will you want these forms? For example, will you want the web from to be apart of the design like a price quote or only on the contact page?

Audio/Video
Will your website be providing audio or video? Do you have the know-how to code these items for the web, or do you need your website application to help with this service? Do you know how large your average file size on your video will be? Some applications limit uploads over certain sizes.

Sales
Are you planning to sell online? How many products? Do you want your website to have all the tools needed to collect credit cards securely? Do you want to show two or three views of your product? Do you want exact shipping costs calculated based on your products' weights? Will you need your website to provide the orders to a third-party fulfillment company or distribution center?

There are many questions here, and many more you should ask yourself. By taking the time to outline your needs now, you can know what you're shopping for in a website application provider. Think of it like making a grocery list before you go food shopping: If you don't have it on the list you may forget it, and then get distracted by the other things on the shelf. Buying off the shelf means knowing what tools you need that application to provide. This outline will also prepare you to review set-up costs and monthly budget.

When you use an existing application, you're essentially borrowing it. The design and function doesn't belong to you. You provide the images, video and content but the application is licensed to your business.

Evaluating Web Applications
Now that you have your list, you can go shopping find the prepackaged tools that fit your needs. Start by reviewing magazine articles, blogs and support pages. These resources will provide you with expert reviews, customer feedback and a realistic expectation about support. Most applications provide a test drive, but until you really use something you never know what it's missing. The support pages or knowledge bases on web applications will tell you about issues, past bugs and open items. Another great place to start understanding the application you may be interested in are the customer forums. Not all applications offer this type of community, but those that do are giving you a great place to look around and see what they and other customers do to support one another. Remember: A website uses technology and with new browsers and upgrades things can change. Be aware of how they handle change.

Read the Fine Print
It's not really fine print: The terms of service agreement on every website application tool is open and available for review at any time. Take a few moments to read through this agreement because you'll have to check that box before you work with the company. Outlined on the service agreement page are the acceptable use policies, fees, licensing agreement and copyrights. It will also outline the company's policies regarding protection against fraud.

Once you've found an application that meets most of your needs, recognize that a web application will never be perfect. Buying off the shelf means cost-effective, and with this decision you're telling yourself that's the priority. Perfect means custom, and that's a different journey with a different budget. When you're starting out or growing, "compromise" is a word every business owner comes to know. When buying a website in a box, you'll find the right solution for your budget if you understand it's a compromise that will lead you to a successful tomorrow.

Jennifer Shaheen, the e-marketing and Technology Therapist, has more 10 years experience working with small- to mid-sized businesses on their e-marketing and web development needs. You can learn more about her by visiting her web site, TechnologyTherapy.com

7 Essential Startup Steps (Entrepreneur.com)

7 Essential Startup Steps

Make sure you’ve covered all your bases before you launch.

By Rich Mintzer | June 05, 2009

Yes, there are thousands of businesses you could start, with more emerging daily thanks to new technology and good old-fashioned ingenuity. Yet despite the vast universe of possibilities, there are a few essential steps you need to take before starting a business, any business.

1. Do your market research: Just because you build it or sell it doesn't necessarily mean anyone will buy it. The first essential step is to research your potential market. Who needs what you are offering? Is there space for your product or service in the market or is the market saturated? Is the market national? Is it a niche? Can you define your ideal customers? These are all questions that need to be answered before you even consider starting a business. Too many entrepreneurs have found out the hard way that there was not enough market share for them to capture. Others have realized that their target market audience was far too limited to make their business work.
   
2. Show yourself the money: You can't start a business without capital. Determine what you have, what you will need and how you will go about getting it. If you plan to seek investor funding or financing, start writing a business plan and practice your pitch. Research the costs associated with your business. Know how much money you'll need and decide where it could come from.
   
3. Hire a good business attorney: You don't necessarily need to have an attorney on a retainer, but you'll want to hire an attorney experienced with new businesses to help you get started. Your attorney can advise you about such things as drafting contracts, reviewing your lease and determining the right business structure. "A good attorney will know what it is that you are trying to do and help you structure your business in a way that will be beneficial to you," says Chris Talis, senior partner at Hedgerow Mergers Acquisitions in Teaneck, N.J. The best way to find a good attorney is by referral or through networking.
   
   
   
4. Hire a good accountant: An accountant will work in conjunction with your attorney and be instrumental in determining the best form of ownership. He can also help you establish bookkeeping and other record keeping procedures that can keep you on track for years. Most important, a good accountant will help with tax planning. "You will also want an accountant who understands the state laws, since every state has its own little intricacies, such as sales tax issues," Talis says, adding that it's important for your accountant to be familiar with startup ventures.
   
5. Decide on a business structure: Your choices include sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, "S" corporation or limited liability corporation (LLC). Personal liability, taxes, paperwork and regulations vary greatly among the different legal business structures. Your attorney and accountant will play a key role in assisting you in this important decision.
   
6. Decide on a business name: It may seem obvious and simple, but the name is how your business will be known to the world. The right name says a lot about your company. Make a list of potential names and narrow the list down to the one that best describes your company in a few words, while being catchy, easy to remember, easy to pronounce and easy to spell. You should also consider how it will translate to a web domain name. You'll also need to do research to see if there are a) similar business names and b) similar domain names.
   
7. Get all necessary licenses and permits: Along with a business license, you may need to get additional licenses depending on the type of business and local laws. Many professionals, such as contractors and real estate agents, need to be licensed in the states in which they work. Additionally, you may need licenses to manufacture and/or sell specific products such as liquor, firearms or even lottery tickets. Research all licenses applicable in your county and your state. It's also extremely important to know the zoning laws before you open a business. Don't assume the zoning laws don’t apply to you. You can get information on zoning from your local county clerk’s office.

There are definitely other important steps to getting a business off the ground, such as finding a technical expert and launching a website (a must in today's competitive market). However, if you've taken the seven steps above, you will find yourself in a confident, business-ready position.