Introduction

(Excerpts from the introduction to the book)

Introduction

Chapter 1
Getting Started as an Internet Professional

Chapter 2
Your Role as a Consultant

Chapter 3
Planning Your Business

Chapter 4
Assembling Your Team

Chapter 5
Setting Your Rates

Chapter 6
What the Client Expects from the Internet and You

Chapter 7
Finding Customers

Chapter 8
Planning Your Presentation

Chapter 9
Making the Presentation

Chapter 10
Writing the Proposal and Contract

Chapter 11
Organizing and Managing the Website Development Process

Chapter 12
Billing and Budgeting

Chapter 13
Growing the Business

About these pages

Who Should Read This Book?

In short, creative, marketing, design and computer professionals working on Internet and new media projects including:

Web Designers
HTML Writers
Web Consultants
Internet Marketing Consultants
Web Hosting Service Owners and Managers
Internet Service Providers
Internet Storefront Owners
CGI Programmers
Java/Java Script Programmers
Copywriters
Art Directors and Graphic Designers
Account Executives
Production Managers
Advertising and Public Relations Agency Owners and Managers
Marketing Directors
Publishers
Editors

How to Succeed in Business

You should read this book if you’re interested in learning what it takes to succeed with a business based on developing Internet projects. Since practically all forms of Internet businesses use the world wide Web and require the development of Web sites and the design of web pages, the goal of The Geek’s Guide to Internet Business Success is to equip you with a solid understanding of the Internet consulting, web development, web design, programming and web site promotion business.

Whether you are a freelance web designer, a small web consulting team, or a twenty person firm, you’ll gain essential insights into the business and a firm foundation on which to make important business decisions.

If the Internet is only a sideline for your business or organization, as is the case for ad agencies, public relations firms, publishers and associations—all of whom can have significant web development activities—you will find that most of the topics covered will apply to you, along with a separate chapter devoted to your interests.

If you’re a new media creative professional specializing in graphic design, CD-rom, virtual reality and other forms of multimedia development, you’ll find this book of interest as well since those businesses are similar in so many respects to the web development business.

You’ll learn:

How to Set Up Your Business
How to Sell Web Design and Internet Marketing Services
How to Find and Keep Customers
How to Set Prices
How to Manage the Web Site Development Process
How to Budget for Success
How to Bill Customers and Get Paid on Time
How to Grow Your Business

And, oh, yes, just to comply with the Truth-in-Reading laws, here’s some of the stuff we won’t be covering:

How to hook up to the Internet
How to send Email to Mars
How to design really slow loading web pages
How to set Perl before swine
How to stake a claim in the Internet Gold Rush
99 more things to do with AOL disks

There’s nothing wrong with books on those subjects, but there are plenty already written (if you’re reading this in a bookstore and you’re looking for one of those, that’s O.K.—they make great bookends).

The Geek's Guide to Internet Business Success
The Definitive Business Blueprint for Internet Developers, Programmers, Consultants, Marketers and Servicer Providers

Author: Bob Schmidt
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 0471288381