So, let us guide you gently through the various choices, what they mean, and how they will affect YOUR business. We want you to choose the correct solution, the one which will complement your existing business, or if you are just starting out, the solution which will give you the very best chances for success.

So, first off, we need to establish WHAT you would like your website to achieve. There are basically three types of business website:

1. Static Informational

2. Interactive Informational

3. e-Commerce

See, in with the technical lingo straight away! Right, lets talk about these three types of site to decide which is best for you.

Static Informational: This type of site is very simple, and effectively does the same task as a leaflet distribution. You provide some information about your company or organization in an easy to understand and user friendly manner. The amount of information you provide is entirely up to you, but the content of your website stays exactly the same regardless of who is looking at it, or where in the world they are.

These sites work very well for service organizations and are inexpensive to establish. However, today's consumers are anxious to get information fast, so if the answer to their question isn't on your site, you may be missing opportunities. It is important to supply quality text and images which will satisfy initial curiosity and whet a clients appetite enough to persuade them to get in touch with you.

Interactive Informational: This is a step further, and offers your customers the chance to individualize their visit to your website. You may offer a simple solution such as a "find my nearest..." or more complex tasks such as designing their own kitchen with graphics. The important aspect of these sites is that the customer is empowered to make your site a friendlier place for them. As a direct result, visitors spend longer on the site and when they get in touch with you they will already have made many important decisions and be well informed about the services you offer.

These sites obviously cost more to implement, but can save you countless hours fielding mundane inquiries as well as providing leads from sources you may never have imagined before.

e-Commerce: The full monty! An e-commerce site allows your customers to shop from the comfort of their own home, or to buy your products on their lunch break at work without having to make a mad dash through the rain. Whether you are selling physical goods or services, the UK online marketplace is a growing sector, and increasingly people are looking to shop through their PC. e-Commerce sites allow your customer to choose products at their leisure, researching and making informed decisions before deciding to commit.

Accepting payment online means that you are able to dispatch goods or provide services quickly, and the customers can tailor their online experience to suit them best. Obviously, e-commerce solutions are the more expensive solution of the three, but also provide the only direct return on your investment, with online orders being very easy to quantify.

Hopefully, this brief introduction to your online choices has helped - please take a look through our other guides for more advice before selecting the service we offer which will best suit YOUR business.