Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

To preface my response, i want to say that i do not work for any of the companies listed below, nor do i have any ties with them.  My reply is purely as a consumer and entrepreneur.

I`ve used many web hosting sites and many DNS hosting servers. In my humble opinion they all offer very much the same services.  I`ve been happy with only two of them, network solutions and Godaddy.  I`ve hired several website consultants and have been generally happy, but the website I use currently is one that i built using a program called WEbeasy.  It cost $50, i bought it at compusa.  the site is www.id-hp.com if you want to take a look at it.  It`s not perfect, but it only took me two days to build.  I`m continually improving it, and may hire someone new to provide more functionality and graphics.

Right now, Godaddy is hosting my site and i pay $5 per month.  They`re very responsive and any questions I`ve had they`ve answered in under 10 minutes.

If you`re starting out, go with the cheapest provider you can (unless money is not an option).  Most hosting companies are interchangeable and you can swap your sites from one host to another with very little work, usually just a phone call.  If you do it over the weekend you will have very little, if any at all, downtime.

Later, as your bandwidth and traffic increases think about switching to a more permanent provider.

There are many online merchant solutions and none of them are completely safe.  There`s always an element of risk when you do these kinds of transactions.  I`ve come to like paypal, but there are many more out there.

Hope that helps, feel free to e-mail me with more questions.

Good luck.

Craig

IDHP

I hope Watergal doesn`t mind that I`m jumping in on her discussion, but she asked a question similar to mine (and why have multiple discussions about the same topic, I say!). 

I, too, am looking to have a website created.  I kind of am in need of a full graphics package, though - website, logo, and brochures.  I`d love it if someone/ various individuals could email me with help!  :)  To facilitate this process, I will answer all the questions that dear watergirl answered below:

Web Hosting Provider?
No, I have some recommendations, but I`d like a little more professional input on this.  The recommendations I`ve received so far are:  www.ipowerweb.com, www.webhost4life.com, www.godaddy.com, www.powweb.com

Domain Name?
Yes - I have registered www.winsomeevents.com through ipowerweb for $2.95 with privacy protection!  Woo hoo, eh?

Method of Payment I would accept?
For the moment, checks and possibly credit cards...maybe through paypal?  I don`t really need e-commerce for a wedding and event consulting business...unless I decide to offer invitations or favors to the general public over the web, but I`m not sure I am interested in that headache.

My Location
I`m in the San Francisco Bay Area for now...I may be moving in late 2007 to Colorado.       

What type of business do I have now?
I currently am employed, but hope to move full-time to wedding and event consulting by July 2006.  I will offer full-service, partial, and cutomized wedding planning and coordination packages and hourly consultations for weddings and events (such as birthday parties, dinner parties, family reunions, etc.).

What type of financial resources do I have to start my business?
I have been saving like mad and probably have around $5K (total) for everything I need to get up and running.  I have a nice little nest egg for us to live on as well (also due to the saving like mad thing) and can possibly tap into additional student loans for living expenses (my husband is in doctoral school), but I`d like to continue down the road of minimizing student loan debt.         

Are you considering designing this site yourself?
No.  I want something that is done right and looks professional.  I have enough HTML knowledge to be dangerous, but I don`t believe that I can design the site that I`m dreaming of.  I do think I should be able to handle most site maintenance once it is up and running. 

How long have I considered this venture?
I have dreamt about it for a couple of years, but I didn`t seriously decide it was for me until Oct. 2006.  I have been taking courses to ensure that I can provide my clients with superior service.  I am a domestic diva of sorts as well as a CPA/MBA so I have all the skills and know-how to make things fly.        

Do I have a mentor?  
I recently became a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants and they have an apprenticeship program which I am planning to look into.  I also have contacts currently in the wedding planning business.  And, then, there`s always Martha Stewart - whether you love her or hate her, you have to admit she knows how to plan an event and make a business work!    

Do I have a team?
My husband and a friend are excited for my venture and are already doing what they can to help me succeed.  I plan to meet with various vendors and create a "team" of preferred vendors who will refer clients to me....

As for my vision of what my website will do for me, I am looking for something charming, romantic, sophisticated and fun to attract potential clients and then get them to contact me so that I can convert them into paying clients.  In general, my site will be more along the informative side of things, giving detail regarding my service offerings, the vendors I work with, who I am, etc.  I`d also like to have an outlet to have a little newsletter or something.  I`ve set up a blogger blog where I`m sort of feeling this idea out...

If you have any more questions for me, please feel free to email me.  I look forward to hearing from you.

And, watergirl, thanks so much for letting me intrude on your post!  :) 

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MeLissa
Independent Chocolatier for Dove Chocolate Discoveries http://www.ChocoRocco.com Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ChocoRocco

So glad MeLissa, that I am not the only one - feel like I`m on a raft in the middle of the big big ocean. I finally signed up yesterday with startlogic.com (host provider).
It was recommended by bobbyhume here on startup - and now they are calling me on the phone and want to design my site. Right now I am up to their $799  package and they arent explaining too well what I get for it. So confused here -  just faxed me his contract (which I am not signing at this moment). All I want is a basic site, so I will post all feedback on this forum for you and all others who are interested and  maybe we can get other feedback (oh yes please).....
jo in nj




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Jo
NJ

Thanks Craig for the post,
I just signed up yesterday for webhosting on startlogic.com. I took their
lowest plan for $4.99 a month. They have been calling me today to design
a site for me. Sounded great but so far it will cost me $799 for what I thought
I would like. I dont want to go that high yet ..maybe later but not yet. I am
going to look at the software you mentioned. If you works for you why it will
probably work for me too - just the basics is fine.
Thanks
jo


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Jo
NJ

Hi,

So if you have not signed anything yet with StartLogic then maybe you should wait. If they are simply not making things easier for you by explaining what you will receive in the package then clearly I would reconsider dealing with them.  Website design and hosting of the site don not have to be combined into one package by one company. GoDaddy has a package for a whole year @ around $80. This inludes all hosting needs along with many tools that will allow you to if you were to hire someone to do your site to create customized site tailored to your needs. If you need to IM me I am online.


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Skype Me!!! @ tomaszpw
Rate Me.

I second tomasz....if you don`t feel completely comfortable with a company and what they`re telling you, they haven`t earned your business.  Your customers will use the same criteria with you!

And, I appreciated knowing there was somebody in a similar position as me, too.  I guess that`s the benefit of this new community!  :)

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MeLissa
Independent Chocolatier for Dove Chocolate Discoveries http://www.ChocoRocco.com Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ChocoRocco

To Watergal and MeLissa, we have a questionnaire that we use with our new clients to help us (and the clients) determine their web site development needs. If you would like me to email you a copy, just let me know.  Going through the questionnaire might help you formulate a clearer picture of exactly what you want your web site to do for your business, and how you plan to make it profitable.

 

Karen,

I`d love to have a copy of your form.  :)

 

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MeLissa
Independent Chocolatier for Dove Chocolate Discoveries http://www.ChocoRocco.com Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ChocoRocco

Karen, I would also like to see the form, if you don`t mind.  I do my own website (OK, go look at it and tell me that it sucks), and maybe your form could push me into having someone else manage the site for me.  It would at least give me things to think about when I do get the time to fix my site.

To others looking for a site host - I have been using GoDaddy for more than five years and I couldn`t be happier with a provider.  I have four websites there and more than 50 domain names registered.  Their support disclaimer says 24-hours, but my email queries get a response in minutes.



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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

To make it easier for everyone, I have posted the form here:

http://www.successfulsitesecrets.com/questions.htm

You will have to use this link since this page is not accessible anywhere on that web site. You can download the questionnaire as a PDF.