"Blogging seems to be the way to go these days. Does that mean I can forget about a website in the old way -- home page, about page, and so on?"

It's a great question - and more complex than it might appears. Here's what I would recommend.

(1) Begin with a blog. If you're just getting started, stake your claim to Internet real estate with a blog. You will soon discover whether you have a viable target market that is truly interested in what you have to offer.

When you create a blog, you don't need a webmaster. Writing an attractive, easy-to-read post is as simple as sending an email message. You can have a blog up and running in a day or two. Now you have a place to send prospective customers and clients.

(2) Plan your posts. Writing a blog post seems pretty easy. You might feel that you're writing to a good friend -- except you're sharing your ideas with the whole world.

This part of blogging is good because many people get writers' block when they think about writing a whole article. They have no trouble posting a quick note to their blogs.

But if you're blogging for business, you have to be aware of your message and communication style. With every post, you're writing promotional copy. So when you write about your dog's latest trick or your daughter's struggle in school, you have to relate your post to your business goals. Your writing style, personality and message must be consistent with your brand.

(3) Plan for growth. Your blog can evolve into your permanent website. You just add static pages (i.e., pages that don't change every day).

If you are an independent professional, you will need a home page that describes what you do. You'll need an "about" page so prospective clients can get to know you. And you'll need pages describing your services and approach. These pages can become your strongest marketing partners - if you apply the basics of copywriting to reach your target market.

But you don't need these pages right away. You can wait till you know you've got a hungry market out there.

(4) Make sure you have a way to capture subscribers. You can invite visitors to sign up to get blog posts by email, using Feedburner or Feedblitz. You can also set up a subscription box right on your blog. Most likely you'll need to tempt visitors by offering what I call an irresistible freebie: an ebook or audio product that promises to deliver an important benefit.

(5) If you've already got a website, set up a blog with topics related to your business. Create a menu item on your website to direct visitors to your blog. Create a link from your website to your blog.

Then you can promote your website from your blog and vice versa. Choose a web host that lets you install your blog easily and you'll be ready to receive visitors.