In each scenario, 'looking into' the product or service to find out available is the first step. Now, one could get out the yellow pages and browse and call around…but why? If you are online, just head over to Google (or the search engine of your choice), type in what your looking for and voila…an entire list of potential products or service providers. Or, for services specifically, head to dexonline.com and search your local business in the category that fits your need. Once a specific product or service has been identified, price and quality evaluations can begin. Web sites like pricegrabber.com will provide a number of price ranges on various products and from there you can go the manufacturer or other sites that have user testimonials to get more detail on the product. For services, you can browse through each service providers site to get a feel for the organization and what they have to offer, most will have testimonials and some may list costs of service; but you will definitely get a better idea of the company's goals and the way they do business. And, whether a product or service, whichever site 'shows' and organization or product that best meets your needs will be the one whose product or service you buy.

Now, there are other variations and nuances, but the point is made…if you don't have a web site, you don't event get a chance to get evaluated.

Getting a Web Presence
There are several ways a company can "get" a Web site:

• Hire a professional web designer/developer
• Do it yourself with web layout software Use an online content management system
• Use a blog only
• A hybrid of the above

Hiring a Professional Web Designer/Developer

Hiring a professional to do your web site can be one of the more expensive options. However, if you plan on having functionality on your site (from a shopping cart to a request form…), you will probably need some programming help. And the look of your web site is a projection of your image…you want it to look professional, not amateurish.

Sometimes, working with a developer can be a challenge, so having an idea of what you want before you meet with possible developers is important (for both look and functionality). The better able you are to communicate with examples and descriptions, the more likely you and the developer are to be on the same page. Although it may cost more, ultimately you'll end up with a professional looking site with functionality that works. (see: Communicating with the web developer: how to get the site you want).