Key points:

• Outline your goals for a web site before going too far with the process.  Save this information so you can read it in 12 months.  You may later be surprised at where you intended to go, and where you actually went.
• A web site can enhance sales by providing another method for people to find your products.  Starting small, you will discover new opportunities, and you will abandon grandiose plans.
• If your business is primarily local, there may be no need for a corporate presence on the web, or it may serve more for recognition than actual sales transaction.

• There are many ways to get started without paying a lot of money.  Free sites are available, but the monumental cost of web design is one of time, not bandwidth.
• A simple web site can provide a means for your customers to contact you, to find out about your products, and to report problems.
• Advanced features such as secure credit transactions, databases, and software downloads cost and the minimum several thousand dollars.
• Gather content (text, photographs, and other graphic materials) so you will have it ready when you build your site.
• Visit sites on the web and contact other businesses to find out their experiences.
• Buy a good book.  We strongly recommend Peter Kent's Poor Richard's Web Site.