The Benefits of Business Website and Methods of implementation

[AlanPaul22]

A business website is about utilizing Internet technologies -- such as email and online banking solutions, and more sophisticated systems such as web-based customer relationship management solutions –- to provide superior customer service, streamline business processes, increase sales and reduce costs.
Once you’ve taken care of the basics, you need to decide how you will design and build your website. Below are the four main ways to get a website up and running for your business.

DIY
The least expensive (but probably most time consuming) option is to design and build a website yourself. The cost-savings of the do-it-yourself option may be outweighed by the time required to design and build your own site. If you are a novice with computers, this is time that may be better spent doing what you do best – building and growing your business.

A friend
Very similar to the DIY solution, hiring a friend can be a very cost effective method of building a website. They may not have the required design, development or Internet marketing skills and you may have to hire other individuals to ensure all your project needs are met.

A student
Hiring a student can be a cost-effective option for a small business owner on a budget. A skilled, enthusiastic student can design and build you a basic website, and can advise you on search engine optimization and other Internet marketing techniques. The cost of the hiring a student depends on the nature of the relationship.

A professional
Consider your needs: Not all website design firms have the same skills or the same areas of expertise. Make sure that the designer you choose has the necessary knowledge and skills to meet your needs. Ask to see previous work: This is the best way to assess their skills. But don’t let yourself be fooled by appearances. In the Web world, looks can be deceiving. The user-friendliness of a site is often more important than its design.

[ryanhellyer]

I definitely agree with your point about looks being deceiving. There are so many business owners out there who pay up huge amounts of money for websites because they've been duped by some dodgy web developer who has tricked the business owner into believing they are getting a good deal when in fact they are not.