So, you’ve come up with a business idea, laid out your business plan and you ’re ready to launch your business - ONLINE! How do you take the grand idea and make it happen?

There are many steps involved in actually getting your business online. The most important thing is to understand the basics and know exactly what you need:

CHOOSING A NAME

The first step is registering your domain name. What’s the name of your business? When you have a baby you pick out a name, right?

Find a registrar and see if the domain name you like is available. If it is available, you are lucky and need to register it, YESTERDAY. Costs for registering names usually range anywhere from $15 - $30 per year depending on who you use. Shop around, sometimes you can get a lot more bang for your buck with different services and options registrars have to offer.

FINDING A NICE CRIB

Next, you need to find a web host. A web host is basically a property owner. You have to lease space(an apartment)on the world wide web for your business. Web hosts can offer this service because they have servers. A server is like an apartment complex. It has the space and capabilities of handling your storage requirements as well as your traffic in and out of your site.

Free sites may be a good option if you are just starting out however, surveys show customers feel you are more legitimate if you have your own dot com. In other words, if you choose one of the free services, you will have a long name like this: http://www.freewebsitesrus.com/debsbirds , as opposed to this: http://www.debsbirds.com .

And remember - nothing is truly free. In return for the free service, you usually have to run one of their annoying banner or pop-up ads right smack dab at the top of your site. It's like having to keep a giant billboard in every room of your apartment. So much for that perfect look you had in mind!

The key here is to shop around, learn the lingo, and if in doubt, start small. With most hosts you can usually upgrade later at no charge. Also, keep in mind, customer service is an issue here. You want a web host who is available to answer your questions and get your site up and running efficiently.

DRESSING UP

Now for the fun part - deciding what your 'baby' should wear, or in internet lingo, designing your website. Okay, you're ready for a challenge and you're fairly computer savvy, right? Get your hands dirty and give it a shot yourself! Whatever you choose to do isn't carved in stone and if you change your mind, you can always hire a pro.

Site design is generally not cheap. When hiring a pro, check out their portfolio and have a clear picture of what you have in mind. Most designers charge by the hour so, the more prepared you are the less time you’ll need from them.

Some designers also offer packages, which is a great deal for the new website owner. This usually allows you to stick within your budget without any surprises.

Of course, you have other options such as shopping carts, merchant accounts, advertising and more. Do your research, have a clear budget and take one step at a time. The nice thing about starting an internet business is you can usually start small and step up as needed. Just like a baby learning to walk!

Good luck!