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This class will take participants through
each step of the set up of a database driven web site that is
designed to be an effective marketing tool for a business. The
focus of the class will be to guide the participants through the
establishment of their web site structure and to position them
to be capable of enhancing and maintaining the site subsequently
on their own.
Customization of each web site will be
limited to selecting choices from the parameters offered within
the database. Design customization will be limited to the
selection and placement of an individual logo (provided by the
participant), and to specifications within the style sheet
included within the database.
The open source database to be used in the
class is osCommerce. Interested participants are encouraged to
go to the website to
review and familiarize themselves briefly with the capabilities
of the database before signing up for the class. Modifications
have been made by the instructors to this basic configuration in
order to better meet the needs of effective marketing. Among
others, these will include a "Links Manager" and a "Newsletter
Manager" module.
This is expected to be a fairly "fast paced"
class, and students should plan to attend all six sessions in
order to cover all the material. There will be little or no
handout material or manuals included in the offering.
Questions about the class content may be
directed to
Dick Myers via e-mail.
Objective:
This class is directed
at individuals who want to create a web site for their business,
and who have a product line that is extensive enough to warrant
use of a database to manage and present the material. Class
size will be limited to twelve students.
Particular recommended
approaches will be taught. There may be some opportunities for
discussion of alternative approaches to many questions, but the
intent of the course is to demonstrate the construction of an
effective web site using known principles. Students may make
their own variations at their own discretion and risk.
Prerequisites:
Participants are
expected to have general Windows familiarity and an
understanding of web based concepts. Familiarity with
the Windows style directory structure is particularly
important.
There should be a
general business plan available for the business that
describes the product or service to be sold, the target
audience, the “unique selling proposition” of the business, and
a body of material that describes the products or services
to be presented on the site. This material will provide the
content to be added to the site to make it operational. There
will not be time within the class to develop this material. It
must be available from outside the class.
Students are expected to
have material ready and available for use in class in time for
the subject matter scheduled to be covered, and are expected to
have to work on their sites between classes in order to get
their sites up and operating.
Cost:
The cost for the
complete course of six sessions is approximately $1,000.00. Participants will
have to acquire a domain name for their site at additional
cost. Other costs are at the option of each participant based
on their individual needs.
Included in Cost:
Six class sessions of
two hours each, during which a complete web site will be
developed.
Installation of a
database utilizing a customized version of
OsCommerce to a web site hosted on C I Host. One time
set up fee: $50.00
A three month
subscription to a web site host from
C I Host
with 800 MB disk space at $30/month, renewable at the option of
the site owner. Hosting will be on a dedicated server provided
by Julio Torres. Students will be provided access to the site
control panel for their own maintenance of the site. Total:
$90.00
The database may be
installed, at the discretion and the expense of the owner, on
any web server that is suitable to support the requirements of
the OsCommerce database. Students electing this approach will be
responsible for obtaining any support required from that hosting
company during the course and thereafter.
Not Included in Cost:
Domain name
registration, approximately $10 per year (through GoDaddy.com),
2 year registration required.
A "DBA", or assumed name
certificate (referred to as a "Doing Business As"), may be
needed if you are not operating from an already established
business. Information
about the DBA is available online. You can look for the
availability of an assumed name in Harris County through the
County Clerk's Office. This is located in the
Real Property and Service section of the site.
Digital ID, if needed,
at an estimated cost of $150 per year.
SSL (Secure Sockets
Layer), if desired, $100 cost, $49 first year and subsequent
years ($149.00 total to initiate).
Acquisition of a
Merchant Account, for sites that will require a shopping cart.
Our recommended vendor for this service is
Wells Fargo. Other providers may be used at the student's
discretion. These arrangements must be established early in the
class in order to allow the shopping cart to be set up during
the sessions.
Cost of preparation of
any customized graphic design for web site, varies at the
discretion of the site owner.
Cost of preparation of
any text content by professional copywriters, if required, at
the discretion of the site owner.
Any product or software
support needed outside of classroom hours (some support will be
available through the free clinic offered on Wednesday evenings
at the Center.)
Class Topics:
- Domain Name Research, Domain Name &
Register thru Godaddy, Email Accounts, Form for color style
sheets & logos, digital id’s.
- Data Entry Setting up Categories,
Titles, Meta Tags.
- Data Entry Setting up Products, Picture
Uploads, Tax & Shipping Managers, Titles & Meta Tags.
- News Letter Operation & Information on
news letters.
- Link Manager, Good & Bad Links.
- Forum Manager & Launch Website.
The first class will begin on October 14
at 7:00 p.m. Schedule information is available on the
Internet Marketing Clinic page.
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