Business website advice

[T Kubik]

I'm starting up a business from my home and I need to make a website, since the local market for my product is non-existant. The problem is, I have not the slightest clue on where to start. I know I can "rent" a domain name from a company like domains.com, but I'd rather not pay a monthly fee to someone. What are my options? I'll (obviously) be making transactions through the website.
- Do I need to run security software for that site?
- Is that something that would be included if I rented a domain?
- How do I establish links with credit card businesses in order to charge to them directly?

If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it, I'm so lost!

Thanks!

[SezzySue]

hey send me an e-mail (I am in the global) and I will tell you what I did.

[PhotoJourno]

For future reference in the forum, here is the three quick steps:

1- Domain name. You go to a place like domains.com, and 'park' or purchase a name for your website. This will be the www address that anyone needs to type in order to get to your website. Depends on company and website name, but we are talking of a yearly payment of $5 average (usually theyt try to get you to pay 2-4 years at once, of course).

2 - Hosting Company. This is the Server where your Website files and folders will actually reside. Uplinkearth.com is such a place -for example-, and payment in this case is monthly. You can pay yearly in advance and get a price break, or quarterly, etc. They will give you a place whre to upload the Website.

(At this point, you actually go back to the Domain Name site, and enter the information of where your website will be, so that the two are linked).

3 - your website itself. Some purchase templates online (often $50 one time payment), or design it themselves. This is the most important part of the whole process, as it is presentation what will keep people attracted to your site, or lead them away.

In conclusion, it is not for the faint of heart, or those who have just started using a computer. It is no rocket science either.

There are Online companies that will do the three steps for you, and all you have to do is add your own text onto your site, and photos, or products. These tend to be very effective, and yet expensive.

Best advice, is get the assistance from a couple of people who know and have done it successfully, and ask lots of questions. It is doable. And fun.

Best of Luck,

[S.Horton]

...what kind of business?

The answer is it depends upon what you're selling and who's in your target market.

Could be very simple (eBay storefront) to custom marketing with a tight focus (smallarmy.net puts an identity together for you, the site is just part of it).

Best guess, find a provider who handles it for you and let them take care of it: http://www.google.com/search?q=storefront+ASP&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS218

[SezzySue]

hey I PM'd you about that thing at CCSN on Wednesday. I am trying to go because it looks like it will be very informative