Overspending on web development for small businesses

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Some years back, I set up and launched an online delicatessen which sold the produce of small farmers and producers. There was a demand locally and nationally, and it was differentiated from other delicatessens.

I hired a web design company to set up a super web site which had e-commerce capabilities. But, I had no money left to market it effectively and it broke the business.

The lessons were that I should have spent far less on the web site, more time building my business at small markets to begin with, more time writing a blog about food and producers which pointed to my web site and developed my business more cheaply using suitable web methods.

If I had done this, then I would have enabled the business to survive and kept vital cash in the business while still promoting it through my blog and web site.

There was no Twitter at that time and Facebook was barely off the ground. Google Adwords did work and brought me some nice leads, but even then, it cost more money than I had left to market it correctly with the lack of money to do it.

Web sites are important for small businesses but you must keep your scale and your ambitions in check and invest in your web site in line with your clear marketing strategy and budget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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