There are many great ways to promote your barn or stable... advertising online, flyers, business cards, word of mouth... but one of the best ways is to create a brochure style web site that features your enterprise.
A brochure site is usually about 5 pages in size, and features text and photos that show your business at its best. This is the least expensive type of web site to have designed for you, or, you can do it yourself if you have html experience.
Step 1 - register your domain name.
The first thing to do is register your domain name. This is the www.yourbarnname.com part of your web site. Registering is easy, and prices are not too bad. You can register for one year for $15.00, or two years for $30.00. I use directNic.com for all my web site registrations, the interface is easy to use, they have always been there for me when I needed them. Just $15.00 a year for a great site that you can even have hosted for FREE by them if you don't care about having a banner at the top of your page.
Step 2 - Host your domain.
I would recommend hosting at directNic.com because you can get hosting for FREE, or, pay a small fee to have your site hosted without any advertising. Other options are to have your site hosted by another site that is already hosted. Hunter's Pony Farm hosts this site, here are 2 options Iviehost.com (paid), PHEhost.com (FREE)
Step 3 - Choose your colors, photos, text.
This step allows you to be creative! Choose what colors you want for your site, what kind of buttons or text links you want, collect the photos you want on there (not too many please!) and write the text you will have on your pages. A brochure site usually has 5 pages:
Home
About Us/ History
Our Facilities
Contact Us
Links
Write something for each page. If you can't think of anything, ask a friend or your web designer to write it for you. You only need a couple of paragraphs for each page.
Your photos should represent your barn at its best. Choose ones that are clear, focused, not too busy, and not too dark. If they aren't digital, your web designer can scan them for you.
Make sure your colors are web safe, your web designer can help you with this. Colors should be complimentary, not garish, in good taste. Don't choose too many colors, 2 or three, maybe four at the most should do it.
Step 4 - Choose a web designer.
Choosing a web designer is a difficult job at times. The person you choose should have a portfolio of sites that they have already done for themselves or others. If those sites look amateurish, find a different person. You want to project a professional, classy image, so, if your Uncle Joe dabbles in web design, but his site looks like a 1st grader made it, politely decline his help. Take a long look around the web and always look at the bottom of pages you really like. That is where you will find a link to the person or company that designed that site. Be prepared, web site design can get expensive, fast. If you make a lot of changes and additions, you can run the cost up into the thousands.
Step 5 - Upload your web site!
Your web site has to be uploaded onto the web. This requires an ftp program. You can get them for free at download sites across the net. Follow the instructions that come with your download.
Step 6 - Promote your site.
This part is very important! No one will see your web site if you don't list it with search engines and link it with other sites that are popular horse lover destinations. Many sites offer directory listings for free. Sign guest books, include your link when you do. Put your link on every business card, letterhead, in the yellow pages, everywhere. Send a post card to all of your past and present clients announcing your new web site. Submit your site to search engines.
Having a web site is a great way to get your business noticed. Now, get your stuff together and get to a web designer! Good luck in all your endeavors.
This article may be reprinted on your web site if you include this entire paragraph , with live links, when copying it to your site. Copyright 2004, Pam Hunter, Hunter's Pony Farm http://www.huntersponyfarm.com
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About: Pam Hunter
Pam Hunter has 50 years
experience with animals of
all kinds, especially horses,
cats, dogs, poultry, goats,
pigs, and other farm animals.
Some of her work has been
referenced in magazines like Horse Illustrated. She has also had a profile published in "the entrepreneurial parent". "I love animals, painting, writing. I have been published online for several years on sites like PetPlace, About, and others.
Pam Hunter has 50 years
experience with animals of
all kinds, especially horses,
cats, dogs, poultry, goats,
pigs, and other farm animals.
Some of her work has been
referenced in magazines like Horse Illustrated. She has also had a profile published in "the entrepreneurial parent". "I love animals, painting, writing. I have been published online for several years on sites like PetPlace, About, and others.
