| You have probably heard the stories of those | | | | account has exceed the allotted bandwidth and you |
| 20-somethings who started an online business in their | | | | may purchase additional bandwidth for a few extra |
| garage which they later sold for millions of dollars. | | | | bucks monthly. The less than reputable web hosts |
| Many folks believe those days are long past. I | | | | have been know to shut your website down without |
| wholeheartedly disagree. It seems every week I hear | | | | warning if it exceeds the allotted bandwidth. Then they |
| about another at home mom or out of work truck | | | | wait for you to take notice and contact them at which |
| driver who started an online business at their kitchen | | | | point they try to charge exorbitant fees to get you site |
| table and now earn more than most doctors. This sort | | | | up and running again. Before you make the purchase |
| of stuff still happens. It is what keeps me going at | | | | give them a call and ask them how they handle this |
| times. The brass ring is there. All you have to do is | | | | situation if it should arise. |
| make the stretch and grab for it. I intend to use this | | | | Getting The Hardware You Need |
| article to help you decide how to get your website off | | | | For doing business online, your most important piece of |
| the ground with as little aggravation as possible. | | | | equipment is a computer. Other hardware such as |
| Before you get start pooling your resources you want | | | | printers, scanners, monitors, and routers, are essential, |
| to give some thought about where you are going to | | | | too. You need to make sure that your computer |
| set up the physical part of your virtual storefront. Yes, | | | | equipment is up to snuff because you are going to be |
| you still have to find a real place to do business. You | | | | spending a lot of time online: answering email, checking |
| do not necessarily have to rent office space; instead | | | | and filling orders, revising your website, and marketing |
| consider setting up a home office. A spare bedroom | | | | your product. I use a custom built PC. My reasons are |
| or den is a good choice. If a room is not readily | | | | it is expandable, more affordable than name brands, |
| available then a maybe a corner in a room where | | | | and I don't have to worry about any unwanted |
| computers, books, and other related equipment reside. | | | | software and programs being preinstalled before I buy |
| Although doing business online means that you do not | | | | it. I also got a better warranty than I would have at one |
| have to rent space in a physical location, you do have | | | | of the major computer outlets of office supply stores. |
| to set up virtual space for your online business. You | | | | There are thousands of websites offering these |
| accomplish this by creating a website and finding a | | | | custom built computers. Check some of them out. |
| host for your site. These "cyber landlords" are called | | | | Choosing Your Software |
| web hosting services. A web host is a company that, | | | | For the most part, the programs you need to operate |
| for a fee, makes your site available 24 hours a day by | | | | your online business are the same as the software |
| maintaining it on a special computer called a web | | | | you use to surf the Internet. Because you will be in the |
| server. | | | | business of providing information instead of gathering it |
| These days web hosting is readily available and | | | | you will need some specialized programs like the |
| affordable for even the tightest budget. The vast | | | | following: |
| numbers of web hosts existing and competing for | | | | A Web page editor - Also known as Web page |
| your attention have over time brought the costs way | | | | creation or Web page authoring tools. These make it |
| down. I routinely buy web hosting for less than $5.00 | | | | easy for you to design Web pages without having to |
| monthly. Do not let the cost fool you either. My | | | | learn HTML. |
| website rarely does off line and if it does my web | | | | Graphics software - If you plan on building your own |
| hosts customer service is available and efficient. I have | | | | website and want to draw images you will need this |
| plenty of storage space as well. If you think your | | | | software. I use Adobe Photoshop but it is up to you. |
| website is going to outgrow the basic web hosting | | | | Read some reviews and even test some for 30 days |
| package I urge you not to worry. I still recommend | | | | before you have to buy them. |
| starting out with a basic package and purchasing | | | | Storefront software - You can purchase software |
| additional space as you need it. | | | | that leads you through the process of creating a |
| Another thing to keep in mind is the bandwidth allowed | | | | full-fledged online business and getting your pages on |
| with your account. Basically bandwidth can be defined | | | | the Web. osCommerce is free and it is fairly easy to |
| as how much action (traffic) your website experiences | | | | set up and use. |
| on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Unless your | | | | Accounting software - You gotta count them beans. |
| website becomes a traffic magnet (My fondest | | | | To keep track of expenses and income, there are |
| dream!) the bandwidth allotted to your account is | | | | programs that act as spreadsheets, help with billing, |
| probably going to be more than adequate. However, it | | | | calculate taxes (if any), and calculate sales tax. Intuit is |
| is still a good idea to ask a prospective web host how | | | | where I would look first. |
| they handle any excess bandwidth. The good ones do | | | | Getting you online business is going to require a great |
| not do anything other than let your website function as | | | | deal of set up. Do it right and you only have to do it |
| usual and shoot you an email letting you know your | | | | once. |