The cost of doing business these days is high. With a large portion of your funds going out to services you use every day to keep your company running; it rarely leaves the extra funds needed to grow your business. If you are just starting out, you may not have any funds available at all. When you are considering expanding your business to include a website for internet marketing and sales, you may be discouraged at the thought of the cost. For this reason, many hosting companies and web design firms have created low cost solutions for those who are working on a budget. Here are a few low cost methods of creating your online presence without putting your company’s budget in jeopardy.

Freelancers:

In today’s economy, many are using their skills to make extra income from home. In web design these freelancers offer a low budget solution to a high end service. By using their knowledge and creativity they can offer you a great website for a fraction of what a design firm would cost you.

There are certain questions that should be asked however. For instance the amount of time it will take to complete your site, the information you need to provide, additional fees for certain features, and whether or not you need to include your logo and images or if they will provide it. Be sure to get a final price for the entire project in writing before agreeing to contract their services.

DIY Web Builders:

Software has become more intuitive and advanced. This means those without any knowledge of web programming can easily create a fully functional website without paying for a professional. This is a time consuming and tedious method full of mistakes and trial and error. However it is also one of the cheapest methods. By creating the site yourself you are only responsible for paying for the web hosting and domain name. Try using software such as Adobe Muse to let your creativity yield a website that you will love.

Templates:

Many web hosting companies offer low cost templates to use for setting up and launching your website. These usually include a monthly service fee to have your entire e-commerce site setup and functional. Sites such as Shopify.com, Volusion.com and Bigcommerce.com offer a cheap alternative to the conventional design firms. You can easily setup and launch your website for a low monthly fee. Each site offers a variety of templates that are fully customizable to match the look and feel you are wanting for your company.

Creating your website doesn’t have to cost you and your company thousands of dollars. There are solutions out there for every business size and budget. Weigh your options, list your needs and the features you are looking for and see which solution best fits your budget. Creating an online presence is an important step every business should take; don’t let cost become an issue for you.

 Thomas Hathaway is a consultant and contributor for paydayloans.org.uk, a provider of same day loans, and offers other information regarding the benefits of loan advances.