| If you have a business and haven't got a website on | | | | can construct your site, from the very simple to the |
| the Internet, you're pretty much crazy. I don't want | | | | quite elaborate. One point you might want to notice |
| to sound judgmental but you must be either really | | | | is how each site is totally individualistic. Websites are |
| behind the times, or just plain scared to get yourself | | | | an opportunity to express your unique cultural |
| onto the Web. If it is the latter, the fear is an | | | | approach to your business. For example, you might |
| irrational one, having a website is only going to do | | | | want to get the wealthier side of town to bring their |
| great things for your life. Have you seen how many | | | | pooches to your shop. What's going to attract them? |
| computers there are in the world today? Look at | | | | An intelligent site with an elegant atmosphere could |
| how much they've now been integrated into | | | | be a start. Maybe you'd use gold or maroon |
| everyday human culture and society. Everywhere | | | | background colours, high quality photos of super-clean |
| you go there are Internet cafes and computer | | | | dogs posing next to Rolls Royce's and Ferraris, and |
| retailers, people with mini-computers on the train, or | | | | have text that gives elaborate detail as to how far |
| laptops at the local park (receiving wireless | | | | you go when you groom an animal- E.G. Doggie |
| broadband Internet). If you can't see, hear, taste, | | | | manicures and massage? |
| smell, and feel the opportunity in having a website | | | | Maybe you want your site to be fun and friendly. |
| for every one of your potential customers to visit, | | | | You could put up lots of colourful images, plus photos |
| you must be catatonic, drunk, or insane. If you truly | | | | of laughing kids having fun spraying foamy soap on |
| do fall into one of these three categories, I'm really | | | | both the dogs and all over themselves. You could put |
| sorry, but if one day you do find a balanced state of | | | | up an offer that if they mention your website when |
| life again, please check out the Internet and see | | | | they visit in-person, both the dog and the kids get a |
| what it is doing for people all around the world. | | | | special treat (hopefully not the same one!). Are you |
| OK, let's give you an example of how this works. | | | | getting the message people? Having a website for |
| Say you own a small dog washing business. You've | | | | your business gives you an opportunity to share |
| got a good client-base built simply from an | | | | more of your self and your creativity with your |
| advertisement in the Yellow Pages and from people | | | | potential customer-base. It's a chance to show them |
| seeing your shopfront on the street. You make a | | | | who you are, why you're different from others, and |
| good living, so why would you want or need to get a | | | | why you're the best place to go for that specific |
| website? First of all, there's nothing even remotely | | | | product. |
| technical about washing a dog. Humans have been | | | | The other main reason and the most obvious one to |
| washing stinky canines ever since they started to | | | | get a website is the fact that you'll be able to cover |
| breed them into the wide range of freaks that exist | | | | a massively wider sector of human society than you |
| today (you tell me that a bulldog sitting next to a | | | | currently get in contact with. Anyone who has |
| Chihuahua and a St. Bernard doesn't mess with your | | | | access to a computer and who is interested in your |
| head). The computer doesn't help you scrub, people, | | | | area of expertise can find you through a simple |
| it helps you to get more dogs to scrub. You're | | | | search on the Internet. That's how it's done today, |
| probably thinking, 'I'd be the only idiot alive stupid | | | | everything else is deemed old-fashioned. If we want |
| enough to think that I'd get any more customers by | | | | to know more about anything at all in life, we plug in |
| putting up a dog washing website on the Internet.' | | | | and connect to that ultimate database of information |
| Well, check these out, they are but a few of the | | | | and communication. Two of the main reasons people |
| multitude around the world that came up when I | | | | use the Web is to find out about a business, or to |
| typed the words 'dog wash' into my search engine | | | | advertise and share their own business with those |
| (Google): | | | | who are searching for a service or product. If your |
| You see, you're not crazy to think it might work. Put | | | | luggage shop isn't found online, let me tell you that |
| simply, it does. Why would so many different people | | | | there are droves of travellers who are flying by your |
| have put their dog wash businesses online? Check | | | | shop for 'greener pastures'. They simply don't know |
| these sites out and see what they look like. You can | | | | you exist anymore; they're going to the nearest |
| get a pretty good idea of the many ways that you | | | | shop with the coolest website. |