Wednesday, March 15, 2006

99% of All Business Websites Don’t Work

By Brian Johnson

Despite the estimated hundreds of millions of websites on the Internet and the enormous sums of money paid to develop them the unfortunate fact is that most small business web sites simply do not work. By do not work I mean that they do not deliver on what is expected or promised. There are many reasons why websites don’t meet the expectations of business owners and even more reasons why the promises of the Internet don’t ring true but in general there are some very common mistakes that companies make when deciding to build or redesign a website.

This article will discuss some of the very basic errors that small businesses make and how to avoid some of the pitfalls of website development (see www.nikosoftware.com for more information). Most small to medium sized business (SMB) owners intuitively know that using the Internet as a marketing tool for their business will pay large dividends.

Unfortunately, most SMB owners don’t know how the web works or principles of e-marketing so they will make their first in a series of big mistakes by looking through the yellow pages and picking one of the many web developers listed.

This decision is usually based on the fact that they have a desire to work with a local "web developer" on Main Street, USA not knowing that this limits their own ability to have access to much more qualified professionals who may be located elsewhere. The SMB owner will generally meet up with one of these web developers who will get their head spinning with technical terms like HTML, C++, Java, databases, MS SQL and so on.

Developers tell the business owner what is needed and extract their payment. However, web developers seldom have any idea of how Internet marketing works or how to drive profits to your business using the web.

This is the single biggest reason why most small business web sites fail.
The local web developer will almost never explain to the business owner that their web site should be self-sustaining. This means that your website should be making you money not costing you money. Web sites should be listed on your balance sheet, not simply as an expense item.

Web developers also never really explain how to achieve measurable results from your web site. The reason comes less from the fact that they are withholding information or just not concerned with the level of their work, but rather that most web development companies, due to the very nature of their focus, simply don’t know how to do these things. Their job, as they see it, is to build or rebuild your website from scratch with the focus on coding only.

Rarely do they take advantage of dynamic modular development, which provides scalability and integrated functionality that reflects the individual business needs and goals of their SMB client. This would mean that the business owner, based on their changing business needs, would be able to quickly and easily create interactive functionality on their own, without having to re-engage the web development company. Unfortunately, web development companies want you to have to come to them every time you need to change something on the web or add functionality, like a simple form or a video clip or even e-commerce.

The business owner must rely on the web development company for every small task that must take place or hire an expensive staff member who is trained to do these functions. This is usually someone who used to work for a web development company. The cycle continues and the business owner is never able to break free of the constant costs associated with a web site that wasn’t built properly in the first place. Frustration sets in and eventually the site goes stale and the business owner will begin to focus their attention elsewhere until another web development company approaches with a whole new set of promises and the cycle begins all over again.

Sometimes a business may have a great site with great functionality but are mislead by another promise of web development firms, who will claim that they need to have a number one position on search engines in order to reap the benefits of the Internet.

Holding the number one position on in the search engines doesn’t matter!

Everyone has heard the story before… "I will get your company listed on the top of the search engines." But, as you might guess, everyone cannot be at the top of the list and true professionals in the business know that. Search engines have very strict rules and complex algorithms, which change often. Actually, being in the third or fourth position is often more desirable and can generate greater profits for a progressive company.

The goal should not be to be number one on the search engines but rather to generate high visitor levels on all of your web pages not just the home page. This means that your web site must have functionality or the ability to interact with your visitors. Web site functionality is what delivers the much-desired result not fist place ranking on the search engines. So
what that everyone visits your website, but if you are unable to convert those visitors into customers what good does it really do? You are spending money and not making money.

If your site has been unattended for awhile it is generally because most web developers are just that, developers. Once they have finished a site they are off to the next development project. What small businesses need is a software company or an Internet consultant with a focus on web development. Having functional software on your website to attract and convert visitors into customers is of supreme importance. Software allows the non-technical business owner to manage or easily delegate the management of their web site to other non-technical personnel. This eliminates the need to have to continually go to web development companies for content and content changes.

For example, most businesses measure sales activity and distribution channels on a monthly basis. The business website is one of these sales channels. Having the ability to monitor the number of visitors and not just "hits" is crucial. What search engine did the visitor come from, what pages did the visitor enter on or exit on? This is key information that will allow a business to measure their progress against their competition. The bottom line is to think of your web site as a key part of your business and in so doing looking for a company that can provide a complete solution not just a web development company with a techie name.

If a business chooses a software company that integrates a complete and scalable solution with all of the business goals within the managing, design and hosting of your site, then the goals will be met. If not, the web site will not work.

To receive a free report on how to begin development of your company web site visit the resource pages at www.nikosoftware.com

About the Author
Brian Johnson is Vice President of Niko Software Corp. and has consulted with over 300 companies on maximizing web tools to increase profits and web exposure. www.nikosoftware.com

Are You Covered? Health Insurance For Small Businesses

By Lisa Ip


If you are a sole proprietor or small business owner and require health insurance for you or your employees, there are many options available that will provide coverage for a reasonable premium. You will, however, be required to carry out a good amount of research before finding an insurance company that will suit your needs, as there are a lot of choices out there. In addition, you have to ensure that the company you choose for your health insurance coverage provides the kind of plan that will be most beneficial in times of greatest need.

Individual Health Insurance

Individual health insurance is coverage intended for one person. If you are self-employed or run your own business, you don¡¯t have access to a group health insurance plan through an employer, and must purchase your own coverage from one of the many health insurance providers located in your state.

There are some pitfalls to obtaining your health insurance from the private sector. For instance, limitations exist that might make it difficult to derive guaranteed benefits from a private insurance policy as an individual. Private companies have a right to ask you for information regarding your current and past health, and are also allowed to reject you for insurance purposes based on your health status, or impose limitations on your coverage.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, on the other hand, is required by law to sell individual health insurance to any resident regardless of health status. This is referred to as guaranteed issue. They must also refrain from charging you more due to any current or preexisting conditions ¨C this is called community rating. HMOs are also required to sell health insurance to any individual during the 30-day open enrolment period that occurs each year.

Individual health insurance policies can vary depending on the company. There are no laws that force private companies to offer the same health insurance products so coverage plans from different providers can offer quite different coverage. But certain benefits for health insurance must be provided in the coverage, including mammograms and diabetes care.

Group Health Insurance

For small employers (2-50 employees) group health insurance plans are a good idea if you want to provide adequate coverage for yourself and your small group of employees.
According to guaranteed issue, insurance companies must sell small employers small group insurance under most circumstances. If you and your group fall within the participation requirements you cannot be turned down. An employee is considered insurable if he/she works for you a minimum of 24 hours a week on a regular basis ¨C this includes household workers.

Usually a group health insurance plan requires that a certain percentage of your employees participate in the plan and you might have to contribute a minimum percentage of their premiums. Luckily, guaranteed renewability makes it so that you cannot have your coverage cancelled if one of your workers becomes ill. This is definitely a plus so you always have access to continuous group coverage and are never left by the wayside without the proper insurance.

HMOs and Blue Cross Blue Shield, again, are prohibited by law from charging more due to the health status of one or more employees. At the same time, private companies are allowed to charge higher rates if they deem it necessary.

In addition, someone who is self-employed with no other workers may be able to purchase small group health plan coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Specifically, sole proprietors are given the option of buying ¡°group-of-one¡± policies from this organization. Other insurers also offer this type of coverage but are not required to offer it. You are a sole proprietor if you: are a resident of your state, work at least 30 hours a week and gain at least 50% of your taxable income from your business.

In addition, self-employed individuals can have 100% of their health insurance premiums deducted from their federal income tax. If you are a member of a professional or trade association you might be able to receive group coverage under the organization¡¯s insurance umbrella.


About the Author:
Lisa Ip is president of Uniforce Insurance Service, which she founded in 1994, in Madison Heights, Michigan. For more information regarding health insurance in Michigan, visit http://www.uniforceinsurance.com or call 888-302-RATE