By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Auto Medics - St. Joseph, Mo.
www.automedicsinc.com
This simple yet effective site offers professional graphics, pictures and framed navigation, making it appealing to visitors. Customers can schedule appointments online, become informed about services offered and print money-saving coupons. In addition, a database of automobiles for sale widens the audience for the site.
Web Wise
You Want to Go Where Everybody Knows Your Name...
If you're considering establishing a Web presence for your shop, your first step is acquiring a suitable domain name. For example, AutoInc.'s domain name is www.autoinc.org. To establish a Web site for this magazine, we had to purchase - or register - the rights to use the name online. Registering a domain name is relatively inexpensive. Most domain names sell for $35 or less and usually last two years or more before having to re-register the name. When purchasing a domain name for your shop, keep the following in mind:
You must first select a suitable name for your Web presence. Always try to match your shop's name with your domain name. In addition, try registering the ".com" version first. Most Internet users will try to find your site using the dot-com version. Of course that's not your only option. In recent years, ".net" and ".org" have become popular endings to Web sites. Even more recently, ".info," ".biz," ".tv" and ".us" are becoming increasingly popular.
If you're set on using the dot-com domain name for your shop, but it is unavailable, try hyphenating your domain name. For example, if "myshop.com" is taken, try registering "my-shop.com."
It is important to register shorter domain names. Shorter names are easier to remember. Most domain registration services allow between 50 and 55 characters, including the ".com" suffix. However, make sure you don't let your domain name get too long. You want to market the Web address on flyers, business cards and invoices. Think about space restrictions on these forms and avoid making your domain name too long.
If you already have a long domain name, such as www.asashop.org/member/myshop.htm, consider a service called Web forwarding. For an additional $25-$35, you can forward this longer Web address to the domain name you register. Most domain registration sites give you this option. It will help the overall marketability of your shop's site.
Net Numbers
Currently, 90 percent of registered domain names are not being used, causing more than 23,000 names to expire daily.
eZDomainName
ASA Web Ways
Join the CARS News-Network
ASA's Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) will be held Nov. 7-9 at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. To better inform attendees about the event, ASA has created the CARS News-Network. Subscribers to the network receive periodic e-mail updates providing the latest news and announcements about CARS. To become a participating member, visit the CARS Web site (www.CARSonline.org) and click on “CARS News-Network” from the left menu. Enter your e-mail address in the field provided and click on “Subscribe.”
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Net Worth is written by Colby Horton, ASA's electronic communications manager. He can be reached at (800) 272-7467, ext. 234, or by e-mail at colbyh@asashop.org.
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