HOUSTON, ANNUAL ASBDC CONFERENCE, Sept. 14 -Small business owners recognize the power and importance of online marketing for their businesses, but cite high cost, lack of technical skill and the inability to maintain and edit their own websites, among their chief concerns, according to a sample poll of counselors for the National Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) in the 2006 Small Business Survey released by Homestead Technologies, Inc., ( http://www.homestead.com ), provider of website and online marketing products and services for small businesses and the Association of Small Business Development Centers ( http://www.asbdc-us.org ), the largest small business assistance network in the nation, counseling over 1.3 million individuals annually.
The survey sought to understand the challenges that small business owners face marketing their businesses online. Revealing highlights of the survey include:
-- Almost half of the respondents (45%) ranked having a website as "very
important" while (22%) stated that it was "extremely important."
-- A large percentage of respondents (66%) cited the cost of hiring a web
designer or webmaster as a key barrier to owning a website. Among those
who responded to the question, other key barriers included: Lack of
technical knowledge (59%), finding and retaining a qualified web
designer (43%), and the hassle and cost of retaining a web designer to
manage and make updates to their sites (40%).
-- 65% stated that their clients believed that larger-sized businesses had
more resources and knowledge than they about how to better market their
businesses online, yet almost half (46%) felt that having a website
would help them effectively compete against larger-sized businesses.
-- Respondents were split on the average budget their clients spent trying
to acquire new customers. (42%) stated 5%; while (42%) stated 10%.
-- More than half (57%) of ASBDC poll respondents ranked themselves as
"somewhat" comfortable and knowledgeable in making online
recommendations to clients; while (21%) responded as "very
comfortable." Only (6%) considered themselves "extremely comfortable."
"These survey results validate what we see every day at Homestead with prospective customers. Small business owners are intimidated by web technologies, but need it today more than ever in order to stay competitive. In fact, we created Homestead in order to level the online playing field for small businesses by giving them a professional, cost-effective web presence that they can manage themselves," said Justin Kitch, Homestead founder and CEO. "Our message to these small businesses is that creating a successful online presence is well within their reach and it's critical that they establish a strong, effective web presence in an increasingly online business environment."
Homestead Technologies conducted the survey by distributing a voluntary, anonymous online questionnaire to approximately 800 ASBDC counselors registered to attend the 26th Annual ASBDC Conference in Houston, Texas, September 12-15, 2006. The survey asked the 185 respondents 13 questions related to the online marketing experiences of their diverse, small business clients located throughout the United States.
"ASBDC counsels over a million small business owners every year, and as business is conducted to a greater extent online, it's important that we continue to educate and counsel them on how to utilize the Internet and their websites in order to grow their businesses," said Don Wilson, President of the Association of Small Business Development Centers. "Local businesses no longer have to sell their products and services locally, and the ability to expand into other markets will help ensure a greater opportunity for success for many small business owners."
About Homestead Technologies, Inc.
Homestead Technologies, Inc. ( http://www.homestead.com ), provides a suite of easy-to-use, non-technical website creation products, ecommerce solutions and online marketing products and services for small businesses that wish to establish or enhance their presence online. Homestead Technologies' Storefront product provides the ultimate turnkey ecommerce solution for business owners who want to manage their online businesses professionally, smoothly and efficiently. More than 12 million people have used Homestead's award-winning design, ecommerce, marketing and hosting capabilities to create feature-rich, professional-quality websites in minutes. For over ten years Homestead has helped small businesses succeed online and has been the recipient of numerous awards including, CNET "Editor's Choice," PC magazine, "Editor's Choice," PC World, "Best of the Web," and Forbes, "Best of the Web." Homestead Technologies, Inc. is based in Menlo Park, California, and its services are available at http://www.homestead.com .
About Association of Small Business Development Centers
Established through a public/private partnership by Congress in 1980, the Small Business Development Center program is the most comprehensive, efficient and effective business assistance network in the nation. Our mission is to help new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and existing businesses remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy. Over 1100 local SBDC offices extend entrepreneurial education to meet small business needs, through individual counseling, training and research assistance while serving over 700,000 clients annually, creating over 74,000 new jobs, and generating $500,000,000 in new tax revenues. Based in universities, colleges and economic development agencies, SBDCs are funded by state and local partnerships to match US Small Business Administration support.
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Justin Kitch
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/ud_public.jsp?userid=10017101
