Food for Thought

Ready to give the topics in this chapter a bit more thought and apply them to your situation? Use these suggestions as a guide. If you'd like to share your ideas with others or see what other readers had to say, visit the book's companion Web site, http://www.smallbusinessonweb.com/.

• What information is important to your customers or clients ? Make a list of the topics you can include on your Web site. Remember, the more questions you answer on your site, the fewer questions you'll have to answer by phone, fax, e-mail, or snail -mail.

• Think about your company's marketing costs. If possible, list them, including the annual amount spent on each one. How many of these items could be reproduced on the Web? How many could be complemented with information on a Web site?

• Now think about your company's support costs. If possible, list them, including the annual amount spent on each one. How many of these costs could be reduced by putting them on the Web?

• Do you think your current marketing efforts could help drive visitors to your Web site? What else could you do to generate interest in your site?

• If you're considering e-commerce to sell products or services, list the features of your product or service that make it stand out from the competition. Why would someone be willing to buy it from your Web site?