| ....as a set of hypertext documents. What's
hypertext? It's computer data that contains links to other computer data.
If you've ever used an encyclopedia, you've already used hypertext. When you reach the end
of one entry and follow the "see related information" reference to another
entry, it's the same thing. The Web automates this process by allowing you to click on a
"hot" link, and voila! you've landed at the other reference. The Web was created by physicists in the late 1980s. They wanted to share
research findings, and access information. Nowadays, it seems as if every business is
establishing a Web presence......or is considering it. Could a website help your business?
If you do business nationally or internationally......or would like to ......and if your
target markets have access to and use the Web, you're a good candidate.
What can a website do for you? It can sell
products and services, and promote your company. Plus, you can use it to communicate
within your company. For example, if you have product specifications or inventory lists
that change frequently, it's much cheaper to put this information on the in-house website
than it is to endlessly reprint it. (Note: in-house websites are not
accessible to
the public. Instead, they are run on internal computer networks, or
"Intranets.")
Can a website help you cut costs? Most
definitely! Your site can handle pre- and post- sale communications with customers 24
hours a day.
If your company isn't ready for a website, the World Wide Web
can still be useful. It offers a huge storehouse of business information. It is an
excellent media to keep track of the competition. ( if your competitors are putting up
websites, you might want to do so as well. Take a close look at their sites, with an eye
toward making your own site better.)
The World Wide Web is rapidly growing.....and evolving. It's
not a mass-medium, but a one-to-one
medium. It can help you build lasting relationships in ways that other media is unable.
Relationships are what businesses are built on, worldwide. |
