Equipment, Supplies and Services for Your Business 9

GETTING TO KNOW THE WEB

Little in recent history has changed the way we work and interact with the world as much as online services and the Internet. Although the Internet was virtually unheard of in the early 1990s, today it is routinely used by consumers and business people to do everything from exchange mail, send contracts, check train or movie schedules, order clothing, purchase parts, find jobs and locate service providers. In short, it has fast become as essential to many people as the telephone and fax.

Yet there are still many small business owners who aren't sure how to take full advantage of it as a business tool.

If you are one of these people, if you just haven't had the time to learn as much about the Internet as you'd like, or if you know a little but aren't sure about the best way to put your business on the web, this section should help answer your questions.

What is the Internet, anyway?

The Internet is a global network of computers that are linked for information exchange. To understand the concept, picture a map of the country with its network of highway systems linking towns and cities together. The Internet is much like that, but instead of physical cities, there are electronic communities and data centers, and instead of roadways there are telephone, cable, and high-speed telecommunications lines that connect them. Now, picture yourself as a huge giant, with one foot in one city, and your other foot in a city thousands of miles away. You reach out and pick up a new car from a third city, then reach out and drop a letter on your uncle's desk in a fourth city. And you do it all without changing position. That, essentially, is the essence—and the power of the Internet.

What's the difference between the Internet and the Web?

Technically, the Web (short for the World Wide Web) is one of the networks on the Internet. However, most people use the words interchangeably as I have done throughout this book.

How are small businesses and professionals using the Internet?

Small businesses and self-employed professionals are using the Internet as a productivity tool, a marketing tool, and a way to conduct transactions. They are also using it to gain name recognition, provide customer support, and to tap into networks of other professionals to exchange ideas, tips, and hints.
By establishing an Internet presence they can communicate any time of the day or night with customers, suppliers, and other business owners. They are selling to businesses and consumers who would never find them without the Internet, and they are gathering research to plan their business or make informed decisions all without leaving their office.

In my own business, I use the web as a means to create and deliver a small business publication, and a way to sell and advertise various products and services of our own. I also use it to deliver a few of our products electronically.

So, for my business, the web is an economical delivery system. Instead of mailing a printed publication to our audience daily, we distribute our information on the Internet. And, we reach far more people than we'd reach by mail, at a much lower cost.
And we use online services to facilitate communications with staff and customers and to provide support and networking opportunities to our forum members.

Other businesses are using their web sites to sell directly to customers far beyond their geographic area, to advertise their products and services, to conduct sales presentations without traveling long distances, and for almost every other imaginable business task.

How do I get on the Internet?

You need a computer, a phone line, a modem, a local or national Internet Service Provider (ISP), and software to use the Internet. If you have a recent model computer you may have software for Microsoft Network or America Online on your computer. If you want to use one of those services for access to the Internet all you have to do is load the software and follow the instructions to log on. You'll need to have a credit card ready to give for billing purposes. If you don't want to use any of those services, you can also find local ISPs that will sell you Internet access.

What costs will I incur?

Depending on which Internet service provider you use, you'll be charged a fee for Internet access that may range from $10 to $50 a month. If you choose a dialup ISP (one you have to use a telephone to reach), you'll be charged the price of each phone call, as well.

TIP: If you are going to use a dial-up service like AOL or MSN, check to see which Internet service provider phone numbers are located in your calling area. If you have to make toll calls to reach an Internet service provider you may wind up with a big phone bill. You may be able to save money by paying for a year of Internet access at one time. Try the service on a monthly basis for a month or two at the beginning to be sure you will use it and are satisfied with it.

If you want a web site with your own domain name, you will also have to pay a fee to register the domain and to have your site hosted (made available to users on the web). The fee for domain name registration for the most common domains (.com, .net, and .org) ranges from under $9 per year to $35 per year, depending on which domain name registrar service you use. Shop around for the best price.

Web site hosting ranges in price from about $15 to $50 and up per month, depending on the services you need and who does the hosting.

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