A. Create a Following

• Sometimes it’s possible to create a following even before your business gets started.  One way is to position yourself as a creative thinker or expert in your field.  Start a blog, create a podcast, or write articles for the local paper.  If you make yourself known as a person of credibility with good ideas, you just might have a line of customers anxiously awaiting your business’s launch.  If you are passionate about something but not quite an expert, become an aggregator or a convener and bring together experts and promote what they do.  In doing so,. You you can position yourself as a resource on the subject, even without being an expert yourself.

This is a small sampling of the online resources that are out there, so spend some time searching for the solution that’s right for your business.  It’s important to have an online presence quickly, regardless of how you get there.  However, free templates are a temporary solution, and at some point you should consult a web designer about developing a professional site customized for your business.