For Free or Not for Free -- That is the Question! 

Having a website allows you to help your team when you are not available. My team currently spans 3 continents; North America, Europe and Asia. With that said I sometimes find it difficult to be available when my team members are available, as well, some of my members have jobs and  work odd hours compounding the availability issue. Having my websites allows team members to get the advice they need when they need it (hopefully) and also allows them to communicate with each other if I am not here through the use of forums, chats and mail lists.

Websites also act as a repository for information. I post alot of information here as I get it. This helps us all get a more focused viewpoint of what we are or what we are not doing. This information allows us to compete and compare as well. Why is so and so getting so many ads? How is she getting so many referrals? etc.

There are two ways to go with a website, pay for a professional type website or get a free one. Personally, my advice would be to go for a free one. If it works for you, then you will make money and you will help your team make money too! Now that is a win-win situation and that is the type of situation I like.

Some things to consider :

1. Your goals, that is how much $$ you hope to make

2. How much $$ you have to spend

3. How much web programming experience you have

4. How much time you have

5. What your standard is for a website

This website cost me a few bucks, but how I see it is this way -- you are worth it!  After all this website is for YOU!  With that said ... sure this website helps me make more money from you, but after all if YOU do not make money then I am not going to make money.

This website cost me $7 US a year for the domain name, peuan.com (this means 'Friend" in Thai), $5 US a month for webspace and $50 US to get designed. That's a grand total of $117 US for the first year with an initial outlay of only $62 and $5 a month for the next 11 months. The second year is minus the $50 US for the website design, so only $67 US the second year, or $7 for the domain and $5 for the first month for an outlay of $12 your first month of the second year and $5 per month for the next 11 of the second year.

Now, the time I put into it updating and adding content is not included, but the amount of time I saved because team members found answers here, the amount of team members that made more money (increasing my revenue) from other peoples experience and the amount of new team members I get offset that cost and actually ends up not costing me but making me more cash. once again, I like that ;) In addition, I get some other options which help me save time with my ads I post.

With that said I do have one question for you, Why pay when free sites are out there? Yup, some sites cost you NOTHING!. Sure you don't have a cool, fancy name, but you will have absolutely no overhead. www.freewebs.com is and example of one of many and it is extremely user friendly. You do not need ANY experience in web design and you can do it all buy yourself!

There are lilterally thousands of website companies out there where you can get your own website for FREE! Here is a few websites where you can get a website for FREE! If you know of any that you have had good experience with let me know and I will add it here.

Free websites:

1. http://members.freewebs.com

2. http://freewebsites.com

3. http://www.bravenet.com

4. http://www.tripod.lycos.com

5. http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/learn2/HowItWorks4_Free.html