Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

There appears to be a number of people here working on websites - maybe first time out, maybe redoing a site. IMHO, if you aren`t good at it, find someone who is. Most good/great website designers can do these things quickly and for a reasonable price.

If you think you can do it or just want some ideas to help you and your "help" get started, Google website templates - you will find many sites that offer website templates - usually for a reasonable fee. Even Flash sites. One I like is http://www.templatemonster.com/.

Some foks on here have asked about my website for Key Concept Services. We do have one but are in the process of developing a new site for Key Concept Writers - a more focused marketing move to a more targeted market. We should have it up and running within 30 days or so. And by the way, we found a great template to use at the above mentioned site.

R@

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Richard Arnold · Key Concept Writers · Business Communication: The "Key" To Success· Law of Attraction Blog · Life Ain`t Brain Surgery Blog

For free templates you can try Open Source Web Design (http://www.oswd.org/). While most of the templates aren`t my cup of tea there are some real gems there.

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Blog - http://www.buggy.id.au/

both of these are great resources! I`ll add in http://www.basictemplates.com which offers basic sites for around $5. These are simple yet clean designs.

Also keycon said "if you aren`t good at it, find someone who is." and I agree whole heartedly. Not because I`m "one of those people who can" but because i know from real world experience that sometimes doing it on the cheap or in-house isn`t the best way.

One of the best things an entrepreneur can do it recognize their weakness and then find someone who can fill that gap. Take me for example. I`m awesome ( in my oh so humble opinion ) at developing the code for a web site, and for making web sites DO things, but when it comes to making things look pretty i fail miserably. I know I`m not a designer, that`s why I`ve found people who are to do my design work for me. Yea this typically means money or a trade in services (we web people love trade btw) but it also means that i get a great product which I`m proud of, instead of something i start off showing by saying "we`re looking to change our web site but ...."

I understand and can appreciate the suggestions. Your ideas are great.

However, I wonder if the successful commercial web site (to e able and compete with the "big boys" can be left to "templates" and "off the shelf - do it yourself" web designs.

I`m a true believer of the Tom Peter`s priciple, as outlined in "In Search of Excellance". It goes something like this ...

Do what you do best ... and contract out for everything else!

Isn`t that what "team building" is about? Finding the resources that are available, rather than trying to be a "Jack of all trades" ... so you don`t end up being a "Master of none".

There is a great article here at StartupNation entitles "Creative Business Financing Options: Self-Funding" ... http://www.startupnation.com/pages/articles/creative-busines s-financing-funding.asp .

That’s what Chris Consorte did in 1999 when he invested $6,000 from his savings account to start his interactive-marketing agency, Integrated Direct, in New York City. “I never got in over my head,” says Consorte, who has bootstrapped his company since then, without using debt or outside investment, to the tune of $1.2 million in annual revenues. “And I don’t owe anybody a dime.”  

In a different lifetime, approx 17 years ago, I was in the equipment leasing industry. We worked with many new start-ups. The primary reason for failure ... lack of capital ... ie. NO MONEY.

Folks, if you have great idea, a great vision, a great concept ... "go to the mattresses" (a great line from the "Godfather") and save, save, save every dime you have ... if it means working 2 or 3 jobs to save what you will need to start your dream. Hold a garage sale (or 2 or 3). Threaten to sell the kids. Get everyone in the family to pitch in. If you do it that way ... you can sleep very well at night ... knowing you don`t owe anyone any money.

It can be done. Believe me, I know. I knew I didn`t have the needed capital to fully fund GoTruckStop.com . So I went to work in Iraq for a year, to help build my nest egg. (And it was a great way to serve my country too.)

Anyhow, I say hats off to the previous suggestions. It`s great to see folks offering ideas, resources and contacts. You can succeed ... you just have to want it so bad you can taste it, smell it and feel it.

And yes, I will see you at the top.

A word on templates, they`re great...in their place. I have seen way too many business owners try to build something themselves only to end up with an ugly mess.  If you are going to go the template route, it is important that you know enough to put something together that will appeal to your target audience.

Unfortunately, designing/building the website is only part of the equation. You also need to have a solid plan for how the website will be used. An experienced website developer can help you to develop a site that is not only informational but actually helps your business to grow.  A professional developer has specialized experience in the online world and can suggest strategies that you would not have come up with on your own (such as search engine optimization or visitor conversion strategies).

In summary, if you`re comfortable with the technology and have done something successfully before, give it a shot.  Otherwise, a professional can not only get the job done for you but help launch you into higher success than you had anticipated.



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Ryan J StarPointe Marketing Website Development, Hosting & Marketing Consulting

Here`s my 2 cents worth -  I outsourced my website redesign to India at my Brother-in-law`s suggestion (he`s a computer programmer).  What a mistake!  My $2000 website rebuild came at a HIGH cost.  I`m still having my new Amercian webmistress un-do much of the damage.  I used a reputable company at Elance that had good references, but somewhere, things went sour and they pretended to stop understanding any of my requests.  Eventually, they just stopped answering at all.  They did a good template (but I basically sent it to them in a jpeg so they didn`t really design it), but beyond that, it was just one headache after another.  If I had it to do over again, I might have someone build me a template, but I would have all the back-end work done by someone in the states.  Lesson learned...  All you web designers can now line up to slap me silly for thinking that was a good idea...

I agree about paying someone to do a professional-looking site.  I have so many members trying to save a buck by doing their own sites and the sites often look home-made.  It`s got to have curb-appeal and that will cost you some money. 

~Kim

ScrapBiz

Great posts about templates! As someone in the "industry" it`s always nice to see people pushing others to "professionals" for design work etc.

However I`m also a realist and know that not everyone can afford a professionally built site, or design. So i offer you this bit of wisdom:

1. If you can pay someone with experience to "do it" then pay them. "Do It" could be the HTML code, or the design of the look and feel.
1. 9 out of 10 times you next door neighbors son isn`t someone with enough experience to "do it". Ask for a portfolio of site and ask friends / family what they think of these sites. If enough people frown or turn their nose up at them move on to someone else.
2. If you can`t afford someone to do it all maybe they can do part. Many firms will be more than happy to do a little bit of the work, with the hopes they will get more work later.
3. If you must go with a template have someone customize it for you. This is typically cheaper than creating something from scratch but again follow tip #1.
1. Remember templates are only bad if you don`t take the time to implement them properly or spend a few minutes making them "your own".
4. Just because you have a book on html or software which "does html" doesn`t mean you`ll be able to do exactly what you want to do, or make it look like XYZ Corporation. Don`t be afraid to ask for help from the communities out there.
5. Find a new design firm with a small but nice portfolio and see if they would be willing to work out a trade, or do the work for cheaper or something other than money. You`d be surprised how many young firms will do great work for little to no money just to help improve their portfolio.
6. That HTML software you have doesn`t have templates you really want to use. Trust me spend the $5 - $100 minimum and buy something from a reputable firm online.
   

This is just a small smattering of what i can offer in terms of advice. if you have more specific questions ask them here in forums, I`m sure you`ll get a nice range of thoughts etc.

Remember too that your website will grow with your company, and hopefully through a number of substantially different phases.  All this talk of design and templates and finding somebody to do the HTML is good for getting a brochure-like presence built, probably with some basic interactivity like mailing lists, contact-us forms, maybe a blog.  

However, if you want to put a product catalog online, maybe start taking orders, processing credit cards ...well, that`s a very different beast and involves more work on the backend.  Don`t be surprised to find that the people that took you the first step of the way can`t take you the next step, and you have to find somebody else.  Sometimes that will mean changing hosting companies as well, if the services you need are not supported.

If you`re really lucky and your web site becomes a crucial source of revenue for your business you`ll have to deal with issues like scalability, keeping the site running 24x7, and probably having dedicated staff.  But hey, there are worse problems in the world once you get this far :).

Duane, building that backend stuff for a living since `96



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Personal: http://www.morinfamily.com/blog
Geeky: http://duanesbrain.blogspot.com
Shakespeare: http://suchshakespearestuff.blogspot.com

Awesome post duane! As a "back-end coder" myself your post really sets it home.

What you have now WILL NOT work for you later!

any of you have an opinion about the value of the BBBonline seal as an asset on a website? at their site they indicate that concern about credibility/reliability/distrust is a major inhibitor of purchases online.

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Rich Sloan , Co-Founder, Chief Startupologist, StartupNation