Web sites cast a wide net
Written by Shirley Lichti for The Record, March 11, 1998

The unique capabilities of the Internet have captured the attention of large and small businesses alike. Its interactivity, 24 hour access, global nature, low set-up costs, and large audience reach provide contact with markets otherwise inaccessible or cost-prohibitive. Electronic commerce, or direct selling via a web site, is often considered to be the long-term reason for having a web presence. Not all websites, however, are designed with the goal of generating business.

Local archaeologist, John MacDonald, didn’t think he needed a web site because he wasn’t in business nor was he trying to sell anything. MacDonald and other team members had been making regular trips to King William Island in the Arctic since 1993 collecting archaeological evidence and artifacts of the final days of the Franklin Expedition. MacDonald agreed to put up a website after being encouraged by a friend who felt his work would be of interest to the public.

Large Audience

The friend was Karen Burkowski who runs a web page design business called Netscapades. She designed the website (www.franklintrail.com) to allow people to follow the progress of MacDonald’s two week trip to the Arctic in the summer of 1997. The web site was updated daily using information MacDonald relayed back to Burkowski by satellite transmission. Her hunch was right. The site generated more than 2,000 hits a day during the two week expedition.

More importantly though, the website generated inquiries from all over the world. One of these inquiries was from a lawyer from Washington, D.C. who is also a history buff. The lawyer has since agreed to sponsor this year’s Victory Point Expedition leaving in April. The expedition celebrates the 150th anniversary of Franklin’s crew abandoning the ships. As with last year’s trip, the public will be able to follow the daily progress on the website.

Personalized Website

Kitchener employment lawyer Melanie Reist of Morrison and Reist says that too often lawyers can be stuffy. She wanted to personalize information contained in her website biography. (www.w7.com/infovill/mo_reist) So she mentioned that she hangs out at Williams Coffee Pub in downtown Kitchener on Saturday mornings. As a result of that reference, a businessman in Cypress sent her an email asking her to handle some legal affairs on his behalf. It turns out, he was related to the previous owner of Williams Coffee Pub.

The main goal for their company website is to have a presence rather than generate business. However, the website has generated a number of employment law related inquiries from within Canada for Reist. Her partner, Charles Morrison also receives inquiries from both Canada and the United States related to custody issues. And clients appreciate the fact that they now have email access to the lawyers.

Global Reach

The global nature of the Internet became immediately apparent to Waterloo based Origins, a bead and gift shop with a new age influence. Shortly after completion of their web site (www.w7.com/infovill/origins) previous owners Kees Morsink and Margaret Van Helvoort received an inquiry from a customer in Australia. He had done a search for Tibetan singing bowls. The Origins’ website was his only hit. He later placed an order which more than paid for the website design.

Even more remarkable is the fact that at the time, Origins did not even own a computer. As the designer/maintainer of the website, Burkowski at Netscapades was the one who received the email from the Australian customer. She faxed it to Origins who then completed the sale by fax.

The current owner of Origins, Linda Gravill, does have a computer. The website notes products such as drums, cymbals, singing bowls and Tibetan bells and allows customers to request catalogues. She has received requests from the United States and the UK. One woman from Woodstock found the store in cyberspace and later visited the store in person.

Interactivity

Keith Miles, of Streamlined Management Group Inc. in Guelph, convinced Chapters in Guelph and Words Worth Books in Waterloo to carry his book, The Improvement Toolbox, or after the mission statement, posters and coffee mugs what do you do now? He also sells it via his website. (www.streamlined-group.com)

Published in July 1997, 20% of the book’s sales are generated from Miles’ website. He has had orders from companies interested in changing organizational culture in Pennsylvania, Virginia and California. Dayton Hudson, the owner of Target stores in the United States, bought books for their entire executive team. The book has been also been sold to Motorola in Malaysia.

Miles foresees that book sales may turn into speaking engagements. He is planning to add video clips to make his website even more interactive. The clips will allow potential clients to see and hear him speak, then determine the fit with their organizations.

Company Image

The above examples illustrate some of the many marketing benefits of having a website. One last aspect worth noting is the enhancement of company image. A recent study in the Journal of Advertising Research reported that companies with web addresses are perceived as more customer-oriented, responsive, informative, "high-tech", and sophisticated.

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