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Planning
Process Brain Stuff
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Great Links
a page in progress
Website Hosts and Services
Prices for website hosting are changing all the time. These hosts often offer specials for a short time, such as one month free; free domain name transfers; free setup; free or reduced domain name registration or parking -- but you can't be sure they'll last forever, so it's worth checking back.
www.HostPulse.com helps you find web hosting resources, search hundreds of web hosting companies, compare web hosting plans and test web hosting network using their speed test.
www.WebHostDir.com lets you search for the right type of webhost based on your needs and budget. We prefer to start first with the Budget hosting services, because they seem to offer the same features as the more expensive hosts.
Our favorites: We've examined dozens of budget hosts and keep coming back to the following because they offer the most features for the lowest price:
WestHost.com -- Their lowest price offering is $6.95 per month for 1,000 MB of disk space ($107.40 per year), plus many other features on a LINUX platform. The $16.95 and up packages come with the e-commerce package MIVA Merchant 5.0 while lower priced packages come with os-Commerce. We use this host for a most clients and have been happy with their uptime and technical support.
Hostek.com -- This hosting system offers Linux, Windows and Cold Fusion hosting, as well as special rates for non-profit organizations or ministries.
Online Store Services
MIVA Merchant 5.0 is an e-commerce software that now comes standard with WestHost.com business accounts (a $995 value). We use this for several clients, especially those who use their stores for online workshop registrations as well as merchandise. It offers many features for managing your orders, customers, products, and page layout.
SecureNetShop.com is another online store service that we have used. They provide the secure server and also a good deal on CardService International merchant accounts. In our portfolio, you'll see which clients use SecureNetShop. Add SecureNetShop's shopping cart to your website
Sporg.com is not so much an online store for merchandise as it is an online-registration and donation that processes credit-cards, accepts checks, or even handles free-registrations for a small fee (which is worth the staff time that you'd otherwise spend to organize an event). With Sporg, you do not have to have a separate merchant account. You can track your registrants or donors, send them e-mails, and generate reports.
Mailing List Management
MailerMailer.com is the service we use most often if you want a opt-in mailing list service for communicating with your clientele. You can collect and download complete demographics and contact information with this service.
Domain Name Registration
CAUTION: Don't feel you need to spend lots of money to reserve your domain name. If you do "park" your name somewhere, try to then find a host that offers free domain-name transfers.
DirectNIC - is a place to register your domain name for $15/year, purchasing as many years in advance as you wish. Compare this to $70 (2 years) paid up front anywhere else, or $35/year. DirectNIC now offers free website hosting with 20 mg of space, but you must have their advertising boxes and you can't use FrontPage extensions.
GoDaddy.com - is about $8.95 a month. It is a complicated sign-up process but the end-cost is a good deal.
Brainstorming and Creativity
See other fun brain.com sites.
WebsiteTips.com: This page has links to other sites about creativity and inspiration, design and layout, website tips for designers.
Business Services
Printable Promotions offers custom imprinted advertising specialties and premiums plus screen printed and embroidered apparel for corporate branding, business gifts, trade shows and events.
Ruby Distributing Inkjet Cartridges and Refill Kits at 50% to 80% off what you would pay at the computer superstores for brand name cartridges. At least 10% of their profits are committed to going to various non-profits like the local church, the local public school, and the American Cancer Society.
VistaPrint.com provides business printing by mail where you can choose from myriad designs for very inexpensive yet not-cheap-looking business cards, brochures, postcards, magnets, etc. You can upload your own logo and tailor your design, for a slightly higher cost.
Marketing Ideas for Your Website
Microsoft bCentral Marketing Primer -- tells how to develop a marketing campaign, from registering on search engines to sending out press releases to offering e-newsletters, and more.
Promotion World promises to provide all the free information on promoting your website you will ever need. There are hundreds of tutorials, articles, interviews, resources, and much more.
WebMagnet, Attracting More Traffic, Customers and Revenue to your Site -- through contents, publicity, reciprocal links and over 50 free ideas.
WestHost Marketing Tips is an archive of newsletter articles on marketing and promotion.
Wilson's Web Marketing Info Center -- Dr. Ralph F. Wilson offers a comprehensive website, including this section on Web Marketing with links to thousands of on-line articles about effective Web marketing and to on-line resources for business.
Web Design Resources
Adobe Acrobat Reader -- get it here.
Books from Amazon -- see my list of favorite and recommended books to learn more about good website design.
VisiBone Webmaster's Color Guide -- a place to select your web colors by specific codes and a palette to help decide on the best combinations.
