Get a business card in cyberspace.

• Author: Stables, Cynthia
• Position: Column

Entrepreneurs think carefully about the time and money spent setting up their business. Every penny and minute is precious. Use of the Internet during these initial phases is fundamental. For many people with small businesses, creating a Web site is still approached with apprehension - Why should I do it? How? Where do I go? How much does it cost?

Think of your Web site as your business card in cyberspace. Few people would enter into business without a business card. Likewise, a Web site should be part of your basket of necessities to operate your business successfully. Your site can be as simple as your company name and co-ordinates, or it can be much more complex. The important thing is to ensure that its content is totally relevant to the audience you are serving.

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The first step in creating an effective Web site is registering a domain name. A domain name is essentially your Web site address. There are a number of address options available - www.mybusiness.ca, or dot-com, dot-net, dot-org and others. We will focus on dot-ca because it is Canada's official space on the Internet.

Whether you decide to have a Web site today or in a few years, the first thing you need to do is to contact the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA). CIRA is a not-for-profit corporation mandated by the Canadian government to manage the dot-ca domain for Canadians.

A dot-ca Web site, as opposed to any other, does three things. Firstly, it shows that you and your company are Canadian and that you have a relationship with Canada. Secondly, it keeps you in the Canadian legal system as opposed to the U.S. system, should any legal issues arise. Thirdly, it differentiates you from the generic rest. Research has shown that Canadian Internet users generally prefer to visit dot-ca Web sites because of their intrinsic link to Canada.

The CIRA Web site (www.cira.ca) provides a list of certified registrars that can offer you domain name registration services. Once on the site, click on register a "new dot-Bca domain name." From there, go to "choose a registrar" where you will be presented with a list of companies who are certified to register dot-ca domain names. Scroll the list and chose two to three companies you would like to investigate further. Visit each registrar's Web site and phone each registrar. You want to get a good understanding of their service levels, their customer relations manners, their rates and services. Essentially, you...