Do you have a Web site? If the answer is no then you need to put down the fishing rod and go to your closest computer. While you have been outdoors and enjoying the sunshine, potential customers have been surfing the Web looking for a product/service that you provide and you’ve been overlooked.

Why is it that that outdoor enthusiasts don’t fear scaling tall mountain peaks or rafting through rapids, but the thought of building a Web site makes them shiver with fright? Yes, the Web used to be intimidating and dominated by techno geeks, but those times have changed. Sure, the geeks still exist and most of us normal folks depend on them to help us for a variety of Web-related things, but the Web has changed and it is now an adventure that is proving costly to ignore. Luckily, those geeks have made tools and services that make climbing this learning curve quite flat. Here are a few quick tips to help you get started.

Tip #1 - Get a domain name

The domain name is vital to your success. The domain name is the unique Web site address such as www.yourstore.com . The urls provided by free services are not professional enough to help you grow your business. Reserve a nice and easy to remember domain name that clearly identifies your company. Don’t publicize it until you have a site up there for someone to visit. You only get one chance for a good first impression.

Tip #2 - Skip the professional designer (for now) and design it yourself

I know that this may seem daunting but building your own Web site has become very easy. SiteDelux, our preferred online site editor, allows you to build your own site in minutes and does not require any programming experience. That being said, it is not the only easy way to build a Web site. Simple search the Word “Web site Templates” and you’ll find numerous companies who sell pre-made Web sites at very affordable prices. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that professional designers don’t have a huge role to play. I’m saying that they’re not required to get started. In fact, you should use them down the road to make your Web site truly sizzle

Tip #3 - Get started… simply.

One of the biggest mistakes prospective Web site owners make is that they want all the bells and whistles included on their Web site upon launch. The problem is that they spend so much time in the design phase, nothing ever gets built. I suggest that you start simply. Upon launch include only four pages which consist of a homepage, an “about us” page, “products and services” page, as well as a “contact us” page. These four pages will accomplish the bulk of what you need. If you want to add a little bit of interaction, I’d suggest adding a form to your contact us page so visitors can leave you their contact information easily. However, don’t put up a site that doesn’t represent your business in a good way. Your first impression is still important and an ugly site is not a good way to kick off a good relationship with any customer.