What you can do:

• You can have as much textual information as you want - or think your visitor will actually read - online.
• You can have all the low-resolution photos online as you want. Be very sparing in the use of high-resolution photos, however.
• You can have short video clips.
• You can have short audio clips.
• You can create online brochures.
• You can create online order forms for your customers to print and mail or fax back to you.
• You can create online feedback forms for your customers to fill out online and have them electronically forwarded to your email account.
• You can utilize your feedback information to create opt-in mailing and email lists to keep your customers up to date. (Note: you may not 'opt-in' a customer without their explicit approval, and you must always provide clear instructions for how to opt-out and honor all such requests.)
• You can create an online shopping 'mall' if you choose a merchant services vendor who provides such a service.  Your website can transparently pass your visitors back and forth between your mall and your main website.
• You can create online product information/specification sheets.
• You can create online Tips and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions [..and Answers]) resources within your site.

What you can't do:

• You can't mass email individuals who have not specifically opted-into your mailing list. To do so is to spam, and spam is strictly forbidden -- it's like sending mail postage due.
• You can't mass post advertisements to Usenet.  Again, this is spam too.
• You can't generally automate the order process and tie it into your accounting and inventory systems unless you are prepared to invest in significant custom programming and security analysis.
• If you have a stated Privacy Policy on your website, you can't violate it except under the most extraordinary of circumstances. Beware of possible legal repercussions if you do violate it.
• You generally can't afford to have large graphics, photos, videos, or audio streams if you want  your website to be a success. Most of your visitors will still be visiting via a 28.8kbps or 56kbps modem.

What you should do:

• You should generally avoid the various inexpensive shopping cart solutions currently being sold on store shelves and mail order.  We have tested a number of these solutions and yet to find any which yielded even marginal results. Of greater concern have been the serious security issues we have turned up with many of these packages.
• You should check your email several times daily and respond to all emails within 24 hours (or 1 business day).
• You should strive to deliver the same customer service to your online customers as you would a customer who shows up at your business in person.
• You should effectively market and advertise your website. Think of your website as a destination store -- nobody is going to know it exists if you don't place your ad directly in front of them!
• You should register and re-register your website with the major search engines.
• You should secure a toll-free 800, 877 or 888 number for sales and customer service. It will encourage potential out-of-area US customer prospects to call for more information and place their orders.
• If you are planning to sell items online - either with an actual online store or via on online catalog and a toll-free order number - you should obtain a merchant account so that you may offer your customers the option of paying via Visa or MasterCard at a minimum (and American Express and Discover won't hurt either.)
• If you collect personal information of any kind on your website, you should have a page dedicated solely to your Privacy Policy statement. Clearly state what you intend to do with the information a customer provides you both now and in the future, what you absolutely will not do with it, and who and where to contact if a violation has occurred. Give careful thought and consideration to your Privacy Policy before posting it online - beware of possible legal repercussions if you violate it. Don't begin collecting personal information until you have such a policy clearly posted online.
• You should strive to avoid large graphics, photos, video and audio streams filling critical functions on your site.  The bulk of your visitors will undoubtedly be via 28.8Kbps and 56Kbps modems and a large bloated website is a quick turnoff. If you must offer such content, be sure to offer it as an alternative 'value added' experience.
• You should try to avoid the use of fancy Java applets, JavaScript, ActiveX, Shockwave, as well as various lesser common browser plug-in technologies. Many browsers do not support all these technologies, other don't support them reliably, and yet others just downright crash and burn when hit with these technologies. A website that depends on these technologies will only be visible to a minority of the online community and will, more often than not, turn out to be a dud no matter how 'cool' it may look on your computer!

What you shouldn't do:

• You shouldn't invest in creating an online shopping system if your anticipated sales volume is especially small.  The additional overhead in maintaining your online store in addition to the added monthly expenses will quickly consume any expected labor savings. Consider investing in a toll-free number instead.
• You shouldn't create a website that is little more than a glorified "yellow pages ad."
• You shouldn't generally create a website that is fewer than 4 pages. Visitors come to your site to learn more about your business and products. If they are disappointed by the lack of information on your site you can bet you won't be hearing from them!
• You shouldn't create a website and then forget about it. Websites need to be updated regularly and replaced when they become entirely out of date or stale.
• You shouldn't spend good money developing your corporate website, register it with search engines, then expect to "roll in the dough". Search engines are nice, but the majority of your traffic needs to come from your marketing of your website, not search engine hits or you will almost certainly be disappointed.
• You should not assume that your website will only be viewed by visitors from your local community. A website is 100% public and visible around the world. There is no technology to limit the exposure of your website. If you can't do business outside of a particular region, consider stating as much on your website.