You will get noticed. Some estimates place the number of people using the Internet world-wide at 20 million. If you do not have a presence on the Internet, your competitors will have a distinct advantage over you when it comes to the dollars of all those users. Soon, those businesses without at least a Web page will be in the minority and eventually extinct. The more quickly you get on-line, the better.

Networking, Networking, Networking. A large part of maintaining a successful business is simply making connections with new people. Even the most basic web page acts as 24-hour-a-day public relations for your business. While it may not replace all the face-to-face networking you do on a weekly basis, a Web page will most certainly will enhance it.

Enhanced Customer Service. Give customers the option of ordering your products and services on-line. Allow them access to product specs, brochures, and technical data sheets. In short, allow them to do as much as possible at their own leisure and in the comfort of their own homes. In addition, the Web never closes. Customers in different time zones or on different continents can get the information and/or assistance they need without having to wonder what time it is on the other side of the ocean.

Increased Sales. Of course, this is probably what you thought of first. Especially if you deal in mail-order, the Web is sure to be a boon to sales. Secure credit-card servers are available just about everywhere you look, and virtual cash appears to be gaining a head of steam. You will gain in sales from not only your local and regional markets, but from the perhaps as-yet-untapped international market as well.

Reaching New Markets. The Education and Youth Market, and the Specialty markets (i.e. - sailboarding) are two of the most likely markets to explode with the increasing use of the Web.

Saving Time. You can post a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that customers normally call you about on a daily basis. If they can get these questions answered without you or your employees becoming involved, that frees up time. Also, information which changes frequently (i.e. - prices) can be cumbersome when printed. With a Web site, you can more easily and quickly change the information posted on-line.

Communication. In addition to the usual ways of contacting you, your customers can reach you via a straightforward e-mail or via a form on your site. If you have a sales force, they can also benefit from the page, by accessing it whenever they need information. It is even possible to have sections for employees only, in order to protect sensitive information. Either way, it will at the very least save you some of the cost from long-distance calls.

Having Fun. Designing your own Web site is an exciting experience. And once you are done with the design and building, you can cruise a little bit yourself.