Web Site Feasibility

have talked to a number of businesses who are contemplating building a web site but have not thought it through fully. Basic questions to ask yourself: 1) Do I have a computer which can access the Internet? If you wish to build a web site you will need an e-mail address so people can contact you. An Internet account (which includes an e-mail address) can be had for as little as $10 month. If you are only doing e-mail a 486 machine will do the job. If you wish to do some web surfing as well as e-mail then you should consider a higher power machine (Pentium II or greater). 2) Prepare a business plan or refer to an existing one. How does a web site fit into your overall business strategy, will the majority of your advertising be done in the traditional media or will you transfer some of the existing funds into a better quality web site? What do you want the site to do? Do you want to find new customers, provide a better service to your existing customer base, or do you want to enhance your existing business with new products or services? Are their similar businesses already in operation on the web? Have you looked at their web sites and how they are laid out? How has their Return on Investment (ROI) been? 3) How do you plan to generate revenue from the web site? Will you use subscriptions, commissions, affiliate sites, or retail sales. In the past, what has been your best product/service that makes the most sales? Do you have the ability to sell retail products? Do you have content that people are so desperate for, they'll pay for a subscription or do you only have content that people will like if it's free but it could yield sales for affiliate programs? 4) Are you prepared to provide relevant content to the site and to regularly update it? Your site is a doorway to your product or your service, however the final sale is made through personal contact via e-mail, telephone, or fax. It still takes a person to close the sale and it is not a sale until the cheque or money is in the bank.