FEATURED ARTICLE
Tom Holbrook or RiverRun Bookstore learned what was best for his shop on the Internet through trail and error. He has now a site that focuses on personal interaction with customers.
Photo by Amy Root-Donle
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Size doesn't matter
All retail, large and small, should be on the web
By Matthew Tetrault
Published: October 2006
Food network star Rachel Ray didn't need to rely on a phone book to find Portsmouth restaurants to feature on her show. Nor did she need a television, newspaper, or any other 20th century marketing media to accomplish her task.
Ray instead began her search on the Internet. Fortunately for Jerri and Anthony Schena, co-owners of the Muddy River Smokehouse, Ray's search led her straight to their Web site.
"It's been drawing customers in from everywhere," said Schena. "The site gets people in the door."
What may be surprising is that when it comes to small businesses and the World Wide Web, the Schenas are in the minority. Many Web design firms estimate that only 48 percent of small businesses have a Web site. In an age when more than 50 percent of consumers own a computer and creating a Web page has never been cheaper, these business owners are missing out on an inexpensive, effective marketing tool.
"It's not just for larger businesses. Web sites today are crucial for any business in any size firm," said David Hallmark, search engine coordinator at CrystalVision Web design in Portsmouth.
"A while ago, I used to tell clients that it's better to have no Web site than a bad one," said Ned Savoie, (photo??) Creative Director for Harbor Light Strategic Marketing in Portsmouth. "Now, you almost can't afford not to have something up."
While important, business owners shouldn't be making a mad dash for the keyboard just yet. When launching a Web site, there are several factors business owners need to take into consideration. Designers like Hallmark and Savoie stress that when it comes to site design, a little planning goes a long way.
"Before designing a site, business owners should be asking themselves about the message they want to deliver. It should be about a call to action. Discover what you want your desired response to be and then build a site around it," said Hallmark.
Smaller service businesses might only need a static Web site with only a few pages of information and contact information. The easiest solution for these businesses can be found online. Companies such as elated.com and fortunecity.com offer free do-it-yourself Web design tools along with free or low-cost Web page hosting.
Retailers would benefit from more complex Web sites with features such as an online catalogue or E-commerce component. When it comes to these sites, its usually best to consult the pros, and companies like Harbour Light and CrystalVision. The price can vary though, with fees ranging from $4,000 to $15,000 depending on a variety of factors.
"It's like asking how much a car costs," said Halmark. "There's so many variables that go into design. You get what you pay for." Muddy River's Web site is designed around the needs of a restaurant. The site offers an online menu for take-out customers, a list of bands scheduled to play along with dates, and driving directions from different routes and towns.
Tom Holbrook (photo) learned the hard way about designing a Web site around the needs of a business. The owner of the River Run Book Store in Portsmouth originally included an E-commerce component on his site, but soon discovered that he couldn't compete with companies like Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
"It didn't fulfill the goals we were after," said Holbrook. "It looked nice, but didn't pay the bills" Now, Holbrook's site focuses on personal interaction with customers. Riverrunbookstore.com is much simpler now, offering contact information along with driving directions. The site encourages customers to come in, chat with employees and thumb through a good book. In addition, Holbrook also publishes an e-mail newsletter with the latest literary news for his customers.
Business owners who want to include large amounts of information on their Web sites and change it frequently should consider using content management software as part of their design. Software such as Harbour Light's Savvy content manager allows business owners to quickly change the layout and content of a Web site with no Web design training needed.
Web site design should also take search engine optimization into consideration. Search engines such as google.com and yahoo.com are what bring potential customers into a Web page. Site layout along with few key words and phrases can make the difference between being easily found, or easily lost.
"Many sites today are very flashy and look great, but can't be found easily with a search engine," said Savoie. "Good design is worthless if no one is there to see it."
Above all, once business owners create a Web site, they can't expect potential customers to simply stumble upon it. A business' Web address should be included on business cards, advertisements, and other traditional forms of marketing
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