How do you set up a website for business purposes?

[T16GEM]

Hi everyone.

Now that I am approx 21 wks pregnant DH and I are trying to think of a way that I can work from home and still have enough money coming in to pay the mortgage ones bubs is here, I am quite handy with a sewing machine and have made all of the soft furnishings i.e curtains, cot bumpers, cushions etc for our nursery at home and they have turned out really well, I also made all of the curtains and blinds in our house when we moved in.

So I have started thinking that I may take this up full time as a job, if possible I would like to set up my own website so that I can show people what I have on offer etc.
I have absolutley no idea about doing this though and what the easiest way of doing it is, obvioulsy I want minimal costs incase it doesn't take off.
I thought that Ic ould just do it as and wehn at the moment but if things start to go well then I could do it full time, hence saving on nursery bills in to the bargain!

So can any of you help me with any info on this? Thanks a lot

Gems

 

[AlanUK]

Hi Gems

Setting up a basic website should be quite a straightforward task. There are plenty of magazines you can get off the shelf that have step by step instructions on how to do it. Also many ISP's also include free online tools that you can use to set up a basic page with text and pictures.

As the website is intended for business purposes you will probably have to think about a few extra details such as how you are going to let people know about your site? You will need to make sure that search engines such as Google return your site as one of the top results when people are searching for the types of items you will be supplying.

You will also need to consider how people are going to contact you, will it be via a web based enquiry form or will you have your e-mail address available on the site?? If you choose the latter method then you could find yourself starting to receive a lot of junk mail.

Finally you will need to think about how people ar going to pay you? Paypal might be a good way to start.

I hope that helps.

Alan.

 

[Clare D]

Hi Gems
I think in the early days you should operate on a word of mouth basis and maybe advertise in the windows of local shops so that you can test the waters.
The good thing by doing this is that the person ordering the soft furnishings would buy the material whereas if you advertised on the web how would the material be bought?
I think it is a great idea as soft furnishings has really taken off. Personally I would rather discuss my requirements face to face after reading magazines, looking at the web but I wouldn't necassarily buy these sort of things off a web site.
I would also do some homework on the web to see what the big sites offer but of minimal costs are what you are looking for in the early days I would steer clear of your own web site.
Good luck with your baby and your new venture