7FebTo build or not to build.

I remember back when modems were a table top device that you put your telephone receiver into. First you would have to call your friend and ask him to get his computer ready, then you would put your telephone handset into the modem suction cups and begin to transmit. Boy, have we come a long way! In the early 90′s it was all about AOL and instant messaging then the DOT COM era followed. Today it’s believed that 72% of homes in America have a PC and 31% of those homes have more than 1 PC. The internet makes the industrial revolution pale by comparison, and it continues to grow daily. It has changed the way we learn, the way we shop, the way we communicate and for many of us, it has even changed the way we make money. Simply put, the advent of the World Wide Web has changed life on planet earth.

For an entrepreneur, the internet is a critical part of any business endeavor. Websites have become the dominant force in the way consumers shop. For convenience, privacy, variety and many other reasons, internet advertising is the ultimate marketing medium. The Web is basically a World Wide Shopping Mall! I realized this a couple of years ago and decided to make “online business” one of my successful endeavors.

I found a great product to market and started looking into web design. I was so intimidated by the thought of HTML and programming that I literally convinced myself that you had to have a technical college degree to build a website. I began calling web designers to get some estimates on building my site. OMG! Lets just say the cheapest I could find was nearly $1500.00 just to build a simple site. I decided to go it alone. I quickly discovered that HTML was just not my cup of tea.

I surfed the web and soon found a few hosting companies that provide a “Site-Builder” when you purchase a hosting package. These can rage fro $10 to $40 per month. I took the leap of faith and purchased a $30 one. Would you believe that I had my website up and running within 3 days! I was so happy that I chose to do it myself.

Site builder programs are very user friendly. They use simple icons to guide you through the site building process. Most of them come with a library of templates for you to build on. These templates serve as the canvass for your website. The icons and tools serve as the palette and you become the painter. Your website is only as limited as your imagination and creativity.

Take it from me, before spending your hard earned money on a stranger to build your website, give it a shot yourself. You may be amazed at what you are capable of with just a little bit of faith.

To your success,

Omar