starting a businessPeople start businesses for a number of reasons. It might be a dream to be your own boss, or you were possibly retrenched. No matter the reason if you are planning to start your own venture, you must do proper (again proper) planning.

We are suppliers of web development and digital marketing services for the small to medium size business market. So we deal with a variety of dynamic business owners or owners to be.

It is very interesting to see how each and every one plans their ventures.

In this post I would like discuss what you need to consider when you are planning your website for your new, exciting venture.

Can I design my own website?

Short answer, yes you can BUT ..to illustrate my point consider the following examples.

Example 1:

Can I download a lease agreement from the internet? Yes I can but does that make me a lawyer ?- certainly not.

Example 2:

I can download free CAD (computer aided design) software from the internet and design my own house, does that make me an architect? Nope…

Example 3:

I can read up about my own financial planning but again am I a Certified Financial Planner?..you guessed it.

And then finally..I am the proud father of a two year old. Of course we did some reading on the internet about being pregnant and what it involves and so on but we asked the gynaecologist the difficult medical questions. She studied 10 years to be a very good gynaecologist and both my wife and I trusted her. I read a lot on the internet about personal medical experiences but I will approach my doctor to make a proper diagnoses. Call me old fashioned but I don’t trust someone who read something somewhere about some problem, in fact if you read the terms and conditions of these medical websites then you will notice that they also advise you to speak to a qualified doctor before making a decision.

So my point is, if you want the job to be professional, go to a professional, no matter what industry, and if you need a website, speak to someone who has got experience. Yes I know there are developers out there that are “dodgy” and unethical but that you will get in any industry.

What to consider before you commence with a web design project.

Domain Name

As a website owner you should be the official owner of your domain. You can read more about choosing a domain name for your business.

Hosting

Where will my website be hosted? This is important for technical support issues. Read more about hosting your website.

Will my website be legal?

As a website owner you should be aware of the different legal obligations your website should address before you host the site. E-commerce websites must not only be secure but must also have a proper set of terms and conditions.

What will the web development company do?

Different design companies offer different web services to their clients. This ranges from designing the website, writing the content, developing custom features and maintaining the website, to name a few. Make sure that you understand what services the company will offer you. Some companies can offer everything related to digital marketing where another will only focus on one aspect of the design / development process. Search Engine Optimisation, for example can be a specialised field and some companies will only offer that.

What will the new website cost?

Yes, this is always the big determining factor when deciding on a service provider. I can honestly say that there really are a number of good, experienced web developers out there who will be able to satisfy your specific needs.

Again as a business owner to be it is important to understand the need for proper planning. All too often I see that new business owners think that they can get away with services without having to pay for anything. Personally I think that is the wrong attitude, you need to budget for essential, professional services. Yes, Steve Jobs did start Apple in a garage but at the time he had a unique product offering.

Conclusion

Running your own business takes hard work and dedication, but on top of that proper planning. Do not isolate yourself. There are professionals out there who can help you to succeed.

Have more questions? Feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.

Author, Fritz Els 31 May 2014