For today’s businesses, having a website is almost essential to one’s survival. Even if people initially hear about a service through a friend’s referral or a business card picked up at a local store, the chances are they’ll want to check you out online first before making contact. And for many potential customers, a business without a website is one that doesn’t really exist. However, it’s not enough just to have a website, which is as easy as registering for a domain name: a website has to look professional, keep readers’ attention with plenty of interesting graphics and images, and…

One of the toughest battles for any small business can be in the field of marketing. It can be tough to compete with larger corporations and their vast advertising budget, but it is often the personal touch and the extra ingenuity that can make all the difference. Should those marketing efforts be directed through traditional channels, such as flyers, taking out ads in local papers, press releases, and customer surveys, or should the new digital possibilities of online advertising, website promotion and social media be exploited? There are pros and cons to both approaches, and small businesses would be well…