Watch TV and what do you see? Commercials for e-commerce, Web server solutions, and "dot com" companies. As the public gets more and more familiar with Internet technology, the companies that make technology products and offer technology services are reaching into our living rooms to tell us about them. For small business owners and managers interested in growing their businesses, these advertisements act as powerful lures, with promises of bigger profits and higher status. These people want to become part of the Web revolution because of what they think it can do for them, based on what they see in the media and hear from consultants looking for work. Sound familiar? It should. Chances are, you're one of these people. About this BookPutting Your Small Business on the Web is a guide to building a Web presence for your business. It explains, in plain English, what the Web can and can't do for your business and how it can be used as an effective marketing tool. It summarizes the costs of building a Web presence and provides a wealth of information about how you can save money with a do-it-yourself approach. If you decide to hire a Web designer, it helps you by explaining how to find the right designer and stay in control of the Web site creation process. My goal in writing this book is to answer all of the questions my clients have asked throughout the years , and to clear up any misconceptions you may have about the Web as a business tool. Along the way, I provide useful tips and ideas for getting more out of a Web site and saving money. OrganizationThis book is organized into three parts :
ConventionsIn addition to plain old text, this book uses a variety of stylistic techniques to communicate special information: Tip Tips are bits of information that you might find unusually helpful. You can recognize a tip by the Tip icon to its left and the dark, italic type.
New terms , when they appear in text, are highlighted by gray bold type. You can find the term defined in a shaded box on the bottom of one of the two pages in front of you ”the page spread . There are also plenty of numbered figures with captions and a handful of tables. Food for ThoughtAt the end of each chapter, you'll find a section called "Food for Thought." This is where you'll find suggestions for thinking about the chapter's topics and applying them to your situation. I highly recommend that you go through these little exercises. They'll really reinforce what's covered in the chapter. Companion Web SiteMost of my books have companion Web sites, but this book's site is really special ”it has its own domain name : smallbusinessonweb.com. The companion Web site includes a variety of information of interest to readers:
You can visit the book's companion Web site at http://www.smallbusinessonweb.com/. And send your friends ”I'm sure they'll get something out of it, too. Pronouns Shouldn't Come in PairsThroughout this book, when I refer to an unspecified person, I use the pronouns he , his , and him instead of he or she , his or her , and him or her . I do this because I think those married pronouns are really distracting, especially when they appear multiple times in a sentence or paragraph. New Term An important word or phrase that is defined in a box like this one. Page Spread The two facing pages of a book when it is open . Why the male pronouns? Well, back when I was in college, I had a marketing professor who was a feminist. He always used the female pronouns-she and her-when he spoke. I found that almost as distracting as the married pronouns, so I don't do that either. Trust me, I'm not trying to alienate my female readers. And I know they'll understand. |