Part 3 : Mistakes and beating the Big Dogs

Are there any mistakes you see small businesses constantly repeating when it comes to their websites and web activities?
Absolutely! Putting up an essentially content-less website with only an order form is a sure sign the site owner hasn't got a clue. The Web is based on information, community building, networking, content-rich and interactive websites from dedicated businesses that respond quickly, and answer emails fast using real responses, not canned FAQ's. They will make referrals when they can't solve your problem, and respect your online privacy by protecting the information you provide them from third party sites and advertisers.

You're a strong proponent of the do-it-yourself approach. Can small business still compete on today's high-tech, well-funded Web, and what are the opportunities they need to exploit to do so?
Like I said before, my first business website cost me about US$1400 four years ago. Business owners that won't invest in the basic necessities of ecommerce and site maintenance have a long struggle ahead of them, one which will most often lead to a dead-end online. Do-it-yourself is great in terms of getting a start to compete against LittleGuy.com and to earn a reasonable living online. It's only when you compete against the big dogs of the Web that you need to outspend them. Recent statistics show that the small business community is thriving online. The big-spending giants are failing.

And a one-line piece of advice for those setting out on the ecommerce adventure?
Living within your means is the best philosophy for online businesses, because get-rich- quick schemes will always be a fantasy, not reality.