Business Information for Entrepreneurs by an Entrepreneur

Finding a Host for Your Website

Getting a domain name registered for your website is only one part of the puzzle to getting your site up and running. Your next job is to find a web host.

A web host is the person or company where your website will be supported. This is usually a company with a number of large servers that can hold all the files necessary for your website to be operational.

There is no shortage of choices when it comes to selecting a web host. The problem is in making sure you get a host that will do what you need.

Today, many hosts are either free or very cheap.

Do Your Homework

But before you go the money-saving route, make sure it is worth it. If the host has slow or non-existent technical support, you could find yourself needing help to get your website online, or back online if there is a problem.

Worse, you could get no answer at all.

Research on any company you are considering to find out what other consumers think about their experiences with them.

Your needs may also partially dictate who you can work with. If you are going to have a complicated shopping website as part of your online business, you will need shopping carts and other special programs.

You should look for a host that offers these types of services.

Before you make a final decision make sure you compare and contrast companies.

Ask:

• What is the monthly cost?
• What’s included in the monthly cost?
• How much is the setup cost?
• How much space you get for the price?
• How much bandwidth do you get?
• What happens if you go over your allotted space?
• Is there technical support if you have problems?

Once you have taken a close look at all the options, choose the host company that offers the best service for your small business – and your money.

Developing a Viable Marketing Plan

Once you have a business plan in place for your company, you may think you are done with the paperwork. Not so.

If you want your small business to succeed, you need a marketing plan to figure out how to get your company to the top of the market.

The first things you are going to need in your marketing plan are an analysis of your competition and your customers.

Customers

Know who these people are (gender, age group, specialty field, etc), how to attract these customers, and what they need.

Competition

You need to know who else is trying to take the business you want. Many small business owners think they can ignore their competition and succeed just by doing their job.

While this may work from time to time, it is best to know your competition and what they may be offering to your customers so you can have a plan to counter them.

Attract More Customers

The next part of your marketing plan should be ways to get more customers to come to you.

You will need to come up with a strategy to get the attention of potential customers and convince them to give your small business a try.

Anticipate Changes

The business world is always changing. Those who do the best in times of change are those who were ready for it. Knowing the types of changes that could come in your field and how you will deal with them is key.

Making a list of ‘what if’ scenarios is a great way to consider possible changes in your market and how your company will react. By planning this in advance, you will have a plan, instead of panic, when the time comes.

There are plenty of online resources and software programs that will help you create an in-depth marketing plan to get your small business on the right path

Record Keeping 101

It is one of the least liked but most essential parts of running a business – record keeping. Unless you are an accountant, no one likes keeping the financial books in order.

For some, it may border on torture. But if you don’t do it properly, you will likely regret it down the road.

The best way to make your way through the maze of recordkeeping is to set up a plan before your start running your business, so you know what to records keep and where they go.

Here are some of the records you should be keeping:

• Invoices
• Receipts
• Contracts
• Important Correspondence

These all need to be kept separately to avoid a jumbled mess at the end of the year.

Make it a Regular Routine

If you’re smart, you will also make record keeping an ongoing part of your business, instead of stacking things up until the end of the year and trying to sort it all out in a frenzied panic.

If you have a small business, you likely don’t need an accountant, but you may want to enlist the help of accounting software. There are plenty of programs that will let you set up a small business account within them, such as MYOB or Quick Books, which will help you sort and separate all those papers into their appropriate categories.

If you do this as you go, instead of worrying at the end of the year, you will have a perfect print out of all expenses, payments and other financial information you need.

It is important to note that financial rules and requirements differ by state and region, so you may want to check with a CPA in your area when you are first setting up your financial record keeping program to make sure you haven’t missed anything.