Working the Web

In round two, small businesses look to Web sites to generate sales, foster growth.

If you're the owner of a small business that already has a Web site, congratulate yourself for being a step ahead of the game. The question is, is that Web site merely a placeholder, akin to an online business card, or is it actually a generator of new leads and sales?

While nearly 63 percent of small businesses have an online presence, according to market researcher International Data Corp., a much smaller percentage are actually leveraging their sites successfully to grow their businesses. The problem, Internet experts say, is that most first-generation Web sites are static pages, rarely refreshed with new and relevant content, and often built and designed by people without significant expertise—say, the small-business owner's son who happens to be taking HTML courses at college.

“In 2000, it was cool enough just to have a URL on your business card, but now you have to have something that has a positive impact on prospects or existing customers and converts them in some shape or form,” explains Scott Stephens, President of Pixel Bridge, Inc. (www.pixelbridge.com), a Boston-based Web consulting company. Having a professional and engaging look and feel is a key part of the equation. “You have to look at it as the first visual impression of your company,” Stephens says. “You spend time and money on how a reception area looks or thinking about where the hostess stand sits in your restaurant—you need to do the same thing online … to create a positive feeling.”

One of the biggest things to consider is content. As the Web evolves into a mainstream tool, people have certain expectations of what kind of information they'll find on a Web site. A site should be 20 to 30 pages deep, not a scant page or two of information, says Dick Myers, president of Computer Productivity Consulting (www.small-business-consultants.net), a Houston firm that focuses on Internet marketing. Also, there should be clear descriptors of what your company does, a handful of customer success stories, references, and specific contact information and directions to your place of business. Providing multiple levels of navigation is another must-have for today's seasoned Web surfers.

Companies like Interland Inc. offer services and tools aimed at empowering small businesses to leverage advanced Web functionality on their own. For example, Interland's entry-level, Do-It-Yourself service, priced at $15.95 a month, provides hosting services, template tools for designing and customizing a Web site, as well as other functionality for e-mail marketing to customers in addition to posting content to sell product on eBay or Amazon.com. There are also more expensive options for companies looking to do more complex search engine marketing or e-commerce, says John Lally, area vice president for Interland, in Atlanta. “Our tools lower the barrier for small businesses to have relevant, highly functional Web sites,” he says.

Beyond content, conversion is key. For Web sites that sell products, a professional shopping cart, with real-time credit card processing, account management capabilities, ordering tracking functions, and options to register are features that set today's Web sites apart from those early versions. Companies also want a means to tease visitors with promotional offers to entice a sale—say, a local business offering a coupon, or a restaurant providing the ability to make reservations online.

The ability to continuously change content and promote special offers and discounts are just a few of the reasons Gotshalk's Soccer, a retailer of soccer gear, opted to scrap its first Web site, built with Yahoo's merchant solutions, in favor of a next-generation Web site designed by Pixel Bridge. Besides offering more flexibility, the new site (www.wegotsoccer.com) has account management features to help Gotshalk's build repeat customers out of its online clientele, says Peter Amorim, operations manager for Gotshalk's in Raynham, MA . “We had hit a wall with our old site,” Amorim says. “We couldn't do what we wanted to do as far as growing our Internet business.”

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