Internet service providers are also packaging the capability, says Schmitt, making going online an attractive proposition for small businesses that don't have the time, money or expertise to put up the most whiz-bang site. That's when spending time and money on the Internet becomes questionable to Walker. They're running a classified ad somewhere in cyberspace. They might get a client or two, but to me, it's off the map of actually doing something. The money would be better spent promoting the business in some other way.
Limited resources can also mean getting creative, such as utilizing e-mail to reach customers.
So a key question to answer is whether there's already a major player on the Internet selling your type of product. If you sell flowers, you're probably too late to make a dent in the online market. Small businesses also need to consider their market's Web-savviness in deciding whether to pour resources into it. Tony Novak, a registered financial Adviser, learned this the hard way. Two years ago, he started a Web site to sell medical savings accounts.