scorepdx.org

What will it cost me to get my new website running?

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:46:13 +0000

The answer will depend on what type of website you want, of course. The basic components of website cost are as follows: Domain name registration – Typically this is inexpensive (less than $10 per year). Web Hosting Service – Most small businesses will use a web hosting company to provide a “home” for their website, rather than trying to connect directly to the Internet. Hosting service is also modestly priced, typically about $120.00 per year for a small business site. The hosting cost can escalate as you add more advanced capabilities to your site, including such issues as e-commerce or shopping carts. Web Site Development – This is typically the biggest cost in launching a new site. Total development costs can range between a few hundred dollars to $10,000+, depending again on the capabilities and the total scope of your new site. The inexpensive sites are generally a digital version of your “capabilities brochure”. They offer basic information on who you are, what you do, where you are, why you’re a great choice, and how to contact you. These sites can easily be done in a very attractive manner for less than $500. Sites that gather data or automate the sales process are much more expensive. If you want to present a large catalog of products and allow the customer to complete the sales process completely online you’ll need a much more sophisticated site. These sites will typically start at about $3,000 and can range upward with increased capability, unless you are technically inclined and plan to do the work yourself. Site Maintenance – All website will need to change and grow over time, and it’s important that you plan for site maintenance in your budget. These costs can also vary widely, but $1,000 per year is a reasonable starting point.

Please explain domain name registration vs. web hosting

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:28:27 +0000

If you're new to website issues these terms can be confusing. Your domain name is the unique name or identifier that people will use to find your website (such as our www.scorepdx.org). At the beginning you need to use a service such as Network Solutions (or many others) to check your preferred name against the existing names. Once you’ve found a suitable name that no one else in the world is using you must register it to secure and protect your ownership. This protection is provided through one of many domain name registrars. A simple search will provide a long list of registrars, and this service is relatively inexpensive. Once you have completed this step you now own the legal rights to the new domain name so that no one else can use it. You must also pay the registrar a modest annual fee to hold this right. Owning your domain name is just the first step. Now you must build a website, and that site must be accessible from the Internet. It is possible for you to attach your own server directly to the Internet so the world can get to your site, but the complexities and costs are typically beyond most small businesses. The better solution for most businesses is to contract with a “Hosting Service”. These companies have a large group of high-performance computers and trained technicians in order to host thousands of websites. Hosting is simply providing a home location on one of their “servers” for your website to live, and providing access to it from the Internet. If you are planning a simple web presence, similar to a capabilities brochure, most hosting services are similar and you can shop based on price. If your site will be more complex, including e-commerce, interactive features, video, etc. you will want professional help in evaluating hosting services and their capabilities.

How do I find the likes and dislikes of potential customers?

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:08:34 +0000

This is a very broad question. However, start by looking at the “Statistical Abstract of the United States” There are 13 section titles, do not give up because of the titles. For instance Section 7, “Parks, Recreation and Travel” once you enter this section there is a multitude of data about peoples activities, such as “Participation in the top 10 sports Activities by Sex” or the” Attendance for various Activities” or the” Number of Gun Owners”. There is a lot of information in the census reports. www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract or http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts

What should I consider about Franchising?

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:56:59 +0000

Evaluating franchises requires as much” due diligence” as purchasing an existing business. Franchising is a popular way for entrepreneurs to fast-forward their small business ownership ambitions. A franchise keeps you from having to invent the operational wheel. Check with the International Franchise Association about the businesses available in today’s market. Also understand that a franchise is not a guarantee against failure.

Can you suggest some ways to get free publicity for my business?

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:55:14 +0000

One type of publicity that is available is the Press Release. If you have something interesting to share about your business then a Press Release may be in order. Learn the format and the requirements of a standard Press Release from sites on the Internet. There are prototypes of acceptable styles used in the Newspaper industry. Another free publicity avenue is to offer local charities that are having an event your place of business as a registration location. The charity or event organizer will include your business’s name and location in their event publicity.

I have a home –based business. Does my home owners insurance cover my business?

Site Administrator — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:52:27 +0000

Generally your home insurance does not anticipate providing coverage for a business. You may be able to obtain endorsements to cover some business losses, however a small business package with liability coverage and business interruption coverage and other important features will probably only cost you between $250.00 and $500.00 per year.

How do I find the norm for business expenses by type of business?

Site Administrator — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:50:19 +0000

There are several Internet sites that offer this type of data. RMA (formerly Robert Morse Associates), www.zone6.com/bizstats, http://www.roi.com/ (this is the Retail Owners Institute). Search the web and you can find significant data sources, however most of them now have a charge or membership fee.

I want to open a retail store. How and where do I find the amount of traffic that might pass my store?

Site Administrator — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:49:00 +0000

Most cities of any size have a Transportation Dept. They do traffic counts by location. Often you can see the increase or decrease from reviewing the most current count and previous counts. If they offer on line access, enter your street address or the intersecting streets. Many cities also have the foot traffic in their downtown area. If you are considering a mall location, ask the leasing agent for the mall demographics.

Are my workers employees or independent contractors?

Site Administrator — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:28:04 +0000

This important question has significant financial implications to small business owners. IRS Publication 15-A states "The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if you, the payer, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result." Based upon decided cases, the consideration of whether a worker is an employee or a contractor falls into three main categories: do you control the worker's behavior, do you control his financial situation and the relationship between you and your worker. If the issue is unclear in your circumstances be sure get professional advice.

What can I expect a bank to require if they are to lend me money?

Site Administrator — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:27:21 +0000

There are various ways to seek start up financing through conventional loans from banks. Banks will need to look at a great deal of financial information about your business; operating statements, tax returns and many other financial documents. They will want heavy collateral in hard assets. They might loan against inventory and receivables, but they are usually concerned that those assets will go first if the business runs into difficulties. Although banks prefer to have hard assets as collateral (real estate, equipment, motor vehicles), they hope that the borrower will be able to take care of his obligations without the bank having to resort to taking possession of the collateral. The bank will require having all your banking done at that bank.