[Lazaro]

I've been trying all morning to find some information on Small Businesses. I want to know their budgets for web pages, how many have web sites, and other info like that. Thing is, I have been trying all morning and I can't find anything. (anything free that is) as a startup, I can't spend too much money right now. I wonder if anyone here can help me. Maybe tell me where to look, or how to search for it. Thanks a lot.

[SirCastor]

It's greatly dependant how large your site needs to be, and what it needs to do. If you need a simple site that presents information, I wouldn't spend too much (I would charge a couple hundred dollars). if you need interactivity, or data that changes, you're going to be spending quite a bit more, depending on the developer and his costs.

what are you trying to accomplish?

[Lazaro]

I guess I didn't explain it right. Sorry about that.

I want to make websites for small businesses. I just want to find some information about other businesses and how much they spend.

[Macola]

Originally Posted by Lazaro

I guess I didn't explain it right. Sorry about that.

I want to make websites for small businesses. I just want to find some information about other businesses and how much they spend.

That's such a broad question that I'm not surprised that you can't find information easily. I started my web design business about 10 years ago doing exactly that (and have sinced moved on to more profitable work) but the variety and complexity of the small business market is a moving target.

A good way to get started is to find out if there's a SCORE chapter near you. If so, you can set up a free appointment and they can point you in the right direction.

Be prepared to be overworked, underpaid, and constantly battling unrealistic deadlines. However, if you're having fun doing it, that's all that counts.

[zoonie824]

i'm currently working this sitewww.kfionline.net for a small business. it's going to be about 18 pages in length, with info. forms, drop down nav. menues, a shopping cart, some downloadable videos as samples for some of his products, and eventually maybe a flash intro. he was quoted by 2 other groups of ppl about $1200, (i believe if he did all the graghic work, since he's an artist, and just sent them the images, one person said it would be a fiar amnt less) which i would say is about par for what he wanted. i work for signifficantly less because i'm not quite a pro. (i'm a part time designer, 'tis not my sole income, nor time devoted persuit, and i'm doing this for him as a favour).

so when you're looking for a site for business, looka at spending a fair amount of cash(at least what most small businesses consider to be a fair amnt.) becuase business sites must be competative. you can't get away with black words on a white screen, with a little navigation box on the left, you have to make an impression. many of the ppl who go to the site will never have set foot in your business, and there will be 21,587 more sites on the google search they just pulled up that match the same description as yours. a business site also has to be easy to navigate, concise, fast, comprehensive... all these things mean work, which means money. oh, and if you want someone to maintain your site, keeping it fresh, getting your newest products up, etc you'll prob. be paying a monthly bill(between 45&400$)... some places will just charge you a rate whenever you want an up date, depends on the out fit.

so, when you ask a really broad question, you'll get quoted alot of money. figure out what you need, are you going to use it to filter ppl to you store so you can provide a service, are you retail, will you be selling your products on the site, is this going to be a solely online business...? make a list of what you're trying to accomplish, and how much you can spend in a website. chances are you'll not see any proffit turn from it for a while, so you need to know you will be ok if you don't make anything back for 5 months to replace the 5,000$ you just spent on a site...then again it could be monumental in the growth of your business. but you need a plan, then you need to look around at peoples sites, contact the web master, ask who built it, and then present to them what you're looking for and ask for an approximate cost. this will all take tyme.

you just need to know what you want specifficaly(or there abouts) and then do some hard searching. cant just go " me want web site, have small business" ( ) and expect to find anything. good luck, hope it works out.
(btw, what kind of business is it?)