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How to Get Your Website Built for You
You have a dream ...
You want a business that generates healthy profits, using the massive new market place online.
But if you are completely new to it, how to you get your website built for you, without losing thousands of pounds in the process?
In a word ...
Outsource.
Here is an example. A good UK programmer/Developer will cost you somewhere between £2,000 to £4,000.
We have programmers who work for us full time for £400 per month. How do we do this?
We outsource.
In addition to our fully employed UK staff, we hire programmers in Ukraine. Other good spots are other Eastern European
countries such as Romania or Latvia, as well as Russia, India and Pakistan.
King Labour
Some people might erroneously say that this is slave labour, that it is taking advantage or other people.
Well, you are more than welcome to ask any of the Developers we use on this basis. They will all tell you the same
story - they get paid a fantastic wage and can afford a great lifestyle in their country because they now earn far more
than other people around them.
When we first started hiring people on an outsource basis, I naively had this concept of 'slave labour'.
After the first month I was
talking with one of the Developers in Russia. He was absolutely radiant about how he felt like a king, because
he had just bought himself something he had looked forward to for a long time - a black leather executive swivel
chair for him to work on all day.
Get it Where its Cheap
Use the global market to its fullest - this is how you can help the global economy and help other countries in
the process - as well as save yourself a small fortune in costs.
One of the best places to find people to build your site for you is Elance - www.elance.com.
Here you offer your project description, and providers (in this case Developers) respond with a bid price - ie how much they will do the job for.
You then choose which provider you want to go with.
A word of advice: Don't necessarily go with the cheapest one. Choose a provider that you are likely to use again and again. This
will save you your time in selecting a provider next time.
By locating a Developer in this way, you will probably make savings of between 50% and 90% over the normal cost of employing someone more locally.
The main drawback to hiring someone offshore is communication.
Firstly, make sure their English is good, conversationally. Talk with them before you hire them, either over the phone (use Skype
for free international telephone
conversations) or using an instant chat message system like Skype or MSN Messenger.
it is a lot easier to communicate to someone if you are face to face and both talking in your mother-tongue. This is what you lose with outsourcing, but don't let
that let you avoid the cost-savings of outsourcing.
You simply need to think about how you are communicating, and use unambiguous words.
Project Design
Before you start, you need to create a document that states as clearly as possible exactly what you are trying to achieve, and all the different elements that you want within your website. I use Microsoft Word for this.
Once you have done this, pass the document to a friend or colleague who does not know about the project and see if they can understand the task.
If they do not understand, there is little chance of someone whose first language is not English will understand it.
Re-edit the document based on the feedback you get.
Then you are ready to submit the project on Elance.
Reinventing the Wheel
You do not necessarily get your site designed from the ground up. There are many ready-made templates that you can start with.
There are also a few select site-builder software packages. INSTANT AutoPilot is a very specific one of these.
INSTANT AutoPilot builds you a website offering products from 2u.co.uk, starting with mobile phones. You can then customise this
site quickly and easily yourself.
Mobile phones are a complex product. This is why INSTANT AutoPilot was built. There are other site-builders out there, so you can take your pick.
About the Author:
Duncan Elliott is a founding member and board member of 2u.co.uk. Since 2001 he has run the sales and marketing for
the companies within the 2u Group, including
INSTANT AutoPilot
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