Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

In the past I've tried to impress upon small- and home-based business owners how important a website can be to their company, whether they plan to sell "something" from it or not.  You don't have to be an online merchant to establish a website, but creating one is well worth your while.

In the future we'll go back over some of the important parts of setting up and maintaining a website for your business, but for now, let's just hit on a few super quick points to remember if you're on the fence about whether you really "need" a site or not.  If you're making excuses for not buying a domain, take a look at these.

1. It's too expensive!  Pish tosh.  It's not.  As a Costco member I was able to purchase a domain and webhosting services (including all sorts of stuff I can't even use yet!) for under $20 a month.  Look around, and ask other small business owners you know who they use.
2. I'm not a webmaster -- and I can't afford to hire one!  I'm not either, trust me.  Many webhosts will offer software you can use to build a site.  Others will have pre-built templates that you can adapt with the click of a button, or that you can personalize even further after a continuing ed class in HTML or CSS.  Or you could barter with a web designer who is also building a small business.  Lastly, be sure to check your computer over; you may already have a program that can be used for building webpages on it!
3. I've got nothing to say -- I offer a service, not products.  You've got even more to say then!  Tell potential clients about your area of expertise, why you are the expert they can trust and rely on, and share testimonials from past clients who are pleased as punch with your services.  Sell yourself and your skills instead of selling yourself short!
4. I'm not a writer.  So what?  Barter with a freelance writer/editor.  Ask them to edit your thoughts from a Word document into something that looks sharp and makes sense.  Or browse the web and find other experts in your field who can write, but wouldn't be in direct competition with you, and ask for permission to reprint their work, whether it's an article, a blog post, or an inspiring excerpt from their latest book.  Just make sure you GET PERMISSION and that the information is relevant.
5. I want to know what my customers want --  I'm not interested in writing "at" them.  So don't!  Instead of a website that just provides information and has a teeny tiny "comment" button hidden somewhere, put a blog on your site.  Tell your customers you want their feedback, and invite them to comment (frequently).  When they do comment, respond within a few days or hire someone to do it for you.  If you have someone who does customer service anyway, consider asking them to dedicate an hour of their workday to looking over comments for questions or concerns.  Even if they aren't tasked with answering the comments themselves, they can let you know where to go to put out small fires before they grow, and they can pass on kudos that you'll want to read before you shut down for the night.  Everybody likes to have a warm fuzzy before they head home, right?  You may be amazed to find some incredibly loyal customers who actually check into your blog frequently and will answer other folks' questions themselves, or they'll combat naysayers for you.  How cool is that?