In today’s climate, you can’t afford to put your website last. The internet is now the first port of call for anyone looking for information, whether it’s to find out more about a company, product or service, or to purchase goods.

Online shopping continues to rise, with more people than ever now making major purchases (on a regular basis) over the internet. So if you have products or services that can be sold online (but are not currently) then you might be missing a trick. There is nothing more frustrating, than a website that displays its entire catalogue of products online, that doesn not offer secure online purchasing.

An e-commerce solution used to cost the earth, but this is not the case any more: you can integrate a simple Paypal payment component into your website and be taking orders almost immediately - no more missed opportunities!

With a Content Management System, a small business owner can effectively manage its entire end-to-end processes online. Everything from a professional web presence with integrated shop, through to estate agencies, travel websites, booking systems, classifieds and more can be managed within a Content Management System.

Even better, with an integrated CRM system, you can manage everything from marketing and sales through to invoicing, accounts, communications and more (all with 24/7 access from any internet connection). The clever business owner will want to do more, better with less, and that’s exactly what these solutions achieve.

But what if my budget is tight?

It’s no excuse these days to say “I can’t afford to invest in having a professional website built” - YOU CAN! Investment isn’t always about money; it can also be investment of your time – maybe a couple of evenings or a weekend.

If you are willing to learn, then there are lots of website building packages out there that are relatively simple to use: you chose a template, add your text and images and there you have it. OK, it will be basic, but the standard these days is much higher than say 5 years ago. It’s enough to get you going – particularly if you are a new start-up.

We include Serif WebPlusx4 with our Starter hosting package, so for just £25 per year hosting, you can have a more professional website online within a couple of hours. See www.vawebhosting.co.uk for more information.