Did you know that one in three people are more likely to use the Internet to find the product or service they are looking for than a phone book? That percentage continues to grow and many small business owners are finding that traditional advertising in newspapers and yellow pages do not reach as many consumers as they used to. For a small business to thrive they must now be visible on the web. Flipout design offers a realistic avenue for the small business to gain exposure on the Internet.

Big Picture: According to internet statistics, web usage in the United States alone, has more than doubled since the year 2000 and continues to expand at an amazing rate. It is estimated that as of 2006, almost 70% of the US population has access to the internet and penetration is even higher in Northern Virginia.

Why does my small business need a website?

Additional Exposure: Finding new way to make yourself seen is very important to the small business owner and allowing yourself to be found through local searches using Yahoo, MSN and Google can increase your exposure immensely. With a Basic Web Design Package your website will automatically be submitted to major search engines and local directories, so that your potential clients are more likely to find your site, regardless of which search engine they use. Submission to some directories and yellow page listings can take between six days to six months and sometimes even longer in cases like DMOZ.org. The sooner you get your site launched and submitted the better off you will be.

Online Help: Perhaps you often find yourself answering the same questions for a lot of your customers about the products or services you offer. Providing useful information to your clients can range from something as simple as a FAQ's page to a full online reference providing articles, tips and links to other helpful places on the web.

The time and money that can be saved for this kind of resource to your customers could quickly out pace the nominal cost of your initial setup and hosting. Additionally, your customers will appreciate the fact that they have been empowered to get more information about your product or service and that will bring them back to you again and again.

Referrals: How often have you had a good experience with a company and shared it with someone else. Having a place where potential customers can go to find out more about you can be very beneficial and much more informative than an expensive yellow pages ad or even a 30 second commercial.

Philosophy

Simplicity of design and good information is key. Combine the two and you will discover the most effective way to communicate to your consumer. In a world of information overload and consumers with internet attention spans, to successfully market your product or service and keep your potential customer from moving on to your competitor, you must have:

• A product or service that a potential customer wants or needs (whether they know it or not).
• Enough information about your product to help your customer to feel confident you have what they want.
• A website that is easy to use and has enough information to keep your customers coming back.
• A site that can be found using one of the big search engines using relevant keywords or even a local search.

The most effective websites add value to the shopping experience. A valuable customer experience is more likely to generate referrals and inbound links to your site. Serving your customers well also serves your business.

Getting Started

Building a web presence for your small business doesn't have to be complicated. The hardest part is putting together information that both coveys what you would like about your company as well as give customers enough information to make them feel comfortable using your product or service. Designing the structure and organization of that content in a way in which your customer can find it, is equally important.

You can check out this article to get ideas about what kinds things you might put on your site.

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