Are you looking to brand yourself? Will you be selling products online? Do you simply want an online brochure that highlights your business services? Do you need a sophisticated tracking system or plan on changing products and content frequently? With this determined, you can begin to figure out what kind of site you will need.

There are really three different levels of sites:

1. Basic… A site that can be done from a template. These sites usually include your existing logo and consist of just a few pages describing your business, highlighting your products/services, and providing an electronic form of communication. Average cost: $1,000 - $3000
2. Intermediate… A customized job by a designer who will provide logo and site design. It can vary from the simple to the extraordinary and may include programming that allows you to receive online requests, process credit cards, sell products via a shopping cart as well as a variety of other specific tasks for your business. Average cost: $1500 - $6000
3. Complex… These sites are usually designed for intense ecommerce tasks that go way beyond a simple shopping cart. They are heavy on programming and can complete tasks from tracking inventory to running complicated databases. They are entirely customized for your specific business. Average cost: $5000 and up.

Action Steps

Tips & Tactics

• Get a contract that ensures you will own your site and the coding in full
• Compare designers. Make sure they have portfolios and references
• Don't be intimidated by tech talk. Tell them what you want and ask how they will do it
• Many designers have deals to host your site, too. Make sure the hosting company is legit
• Make sure the process is done in steps and that you can okay each one before moving on
• Only use designers who put in writing that they will train you to use the applications
• Keep it simple. You may like how applications like Flash look, but they can slow down your site and give problems to users without the right technology