FAQ

  1. I find all the terms and options confusing. What do I really need to do to get a website?
  2. Since I don't know what my website requirements are, how do we arrive at a fair price?
  3. I don't want to sell anything on line, so why should I have a website?
  4. My son has learned how to create web pages and he has offered to create a website for my home business. Should I let him do it?
  5. What about tools that automatically creates websites? Can I save money using those tools?
  6. What do you actually do or provide?
  7. Can I see actual examples of your work?

  1. I find all the terms and options confusing. What do I really need to do to get a website?
  2. Getting on-line is a three step process.

    1. Design and create a website.
    2. Formally request a company web address.
    3. Get a web host.

    Let’s take the steps one at a time.

    Design and create a website - We will work closely together. You give me some guidelines and information about your business and I will turn it into a effective website. If you know what you want, I will implement it. If not, I will provide suggestions and proposal web pages. If you are not familiar with computers or the Internet, don’t worry. I will help you learn what you want to know or I will just make it all happen. You choose.

    Formally request a company web address - The term for an organization’s web address is domain name. A domain name has the form www.yourcompany.com. One gets (registers) a domain name from one of the official domain name registrars. While anyone can register a domain name, this is typically a service I provide my clients.

    Get a web host - Once you have all your web pages, you need a place to put them so they can be viewed by the public. That place is called a web host. Many Internet Service Providers will host your website, but they typically charge more than I do.

  3. Since I don't know what my website requirements are, how do we arrive at a fair price?
  4. It is usually only confusing in the beginning. After a few discussions and trading of ideas, the fog lifts and I can come up with a reasonable bid. After that, the price won’t change unless we mutually agree to a change in design. And I’ll put it all in writing.

  5. I don't want to sell anything on line, so why should I have a website?
  6. Oh, there are a lot of reasons. For example:

    • A website is like color yellow page ads on steroids! You can have page after page of useful information about your company and products. And you can update the information anytime. The yellow pages lock you in for a year.
    • It is an excellent augmentation to Yellow Pages, flyers, TV ads, and newspaper ads. When you list your web address on an advertisement, it gives your customers a quick and convenient way to learn much more about your company than can be placed in a short TV or newspaper ad.
    • You can promote your company philosophy in depth. Are you a quality conscious craftsman? Do you take great pains in your work? Do you pay attention to detail? Are you more reliable? Do you stand behind your work or your product? Let your customers know all about it.
    • Are your products superior to your competitors? Can you provide them faster and cheaper? Do you guarantee them? Let your customers know all about it! Show them pictures of your product and describe product details.
    • A website easily provides critical information about your business along with contact details, like name, address, phone number, FAX number, e-mail address, directions, photos and even a map.
    • If you do want to sell your product on line, you can provide an online catalog and online ordering with secure credit card transactions.

  7. My son has learned how to create web pages and he has offered to create a website for my home business. Should I let him do it?
  8. This is a common question. Many people contact me after a friend or relative started a website for them, but never finished it. This is especially common for high school or college kids who have learned how to create a web page and are eager to create a website for a relative's home business. The problem is that a lot of technical problems crop up that they were not exposed to during the design of a single page and some of problems are quite time consuming to solve. Another problem is that high school and college really require their full attention, so in the end, they never get around to finish the website. So it begins well intentioned, but frequently does not pan out.

  9. What about tools that automatically creates websites? Can I save money using those tools?
  10. Yes, you can, and if you are inclined to do it yourself, give it a shot. Most people find the cookie cutter tools too restrictive. You can also buy programs that will help you create web pages, but there is a steep learning curve to use them effectively. One client gave up after a few minutes. For some people, it is incredibly complicated. It comes down to this: how do you want to spend your time: 1) learning how to use a web generation tool, 2) learning how to build a good website, or 3) running your business.

    I like working with computers and websites. Let me shield you from the pain.

  11. What do you actually do or provide?
  12. I will do everything necessary to make your website happen. A majority of my clients are only interested in the bussiness aspect of their website, while I’m mainly concerned with the technical and computing aspects.

    I design the website. That means coming up with an appealing color theme and style of your website. I prepare the necessary graphics to create the theme and style.

    I then write the necessary code for the webpages and data structures. I usually code in HTML, JavaScript, and Perl or PHP. It is not necessary for you to care about this. I mention it just in case you are curious.

    Other things I handle for you behind the scenes are:

    1. I will get a domain name for you (like www.yourcompany.com) if you don’t already have one. You need to act quickly, if you have a common company name, because the common domain names are being reserved rapidly. If you want to avoid the cost of registering a domain name, or if your prefered domain name is already taken, we can use the sub-domain approach. This means your website address would have the form: yourcompany.etherica.net/
    2. I will upload the completed web pages to your Internet Service Provider or to Etherica.Net (my web hosting service).
    3. I will completely test your website to ensure all page display properly, using Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator web browsers. They are the most common.
    4. I will fix free any problem with the web pages I design, except for problems related to use with other browsers. I will try to make the web pages compatible with other browsers and try to fix any problem that is brought to my attention, but there may be additional development charges.
    5. I will submit your website to about 30 of the major search engines.
    6. I will maintain your web site at my posted hourly rate (1 hour minimum) or provide you with a brief tutorial on how to do it yourself.

  13. Can I see actual examples of your work?
  14. Absolutely. Websites developed under the WebPromotion Plan appear near the bottom of the page, and E-Commerce Plan also near the bottom of the page. Click on any of the links and a new window will display the actual website.


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