Online Advertising Company Article.

Spinning out WEBs of Opportunity
Grand Rapids Business Journal

Muskegon - A success story beginning with a Commodore 64 computer and a dream may seem a bit far-fetched, but in the case of the web design company, WEBSPINNERS Corp., it is where it all began. The old computer still sits in a corner of the office to remind Anthony Blair where it all started. Three years ago, Blair was working for an e-commerce company as an Internet consultant when he became greedy.

"I was sitting there looking at what I was doing and thought to myself that I could do this on my own and keep all the money," laughed Blair.

The idea was planted and all he had to do was think of a name for the company. A distant cousin plays for an NFL team and one day while watching a game, Blair saw his cousin score a touchdown. "I saw him run into the end zone and do the Spiderman sign. Sometimes he would run over there and act like he was stuck to fly paper; that got me to thinking and trying to put everything together," Blair said.

He started to make connections between the World Wide Web and Spiderman and soon came up with the name Webspinners.

While working to get the company started, Blair decided to obtain a degree from Baker College in Web design.

From there he began doing business out of a basement, and the slow progression to the success began.

Blair says every day is a learning process. And the process is what puts them above other Web design firms in the area. "When a customer calls with the need for a Web design, they have to know we are going to be with them for the long haul," Blair said.

The process is one of time, dedication and hard work. WEBSPINNERS sets up an initial consultation. Where the client tells its story. Needs are discussed along with expectations and goals. It is during this step that everything in the client's plan must fit together - including advertising goals, reduction of costs, sales, and production of a more efficient business strategy.

This also means aligning the client's marketing strategy with the Web site including putting the Web address on business cards, radio ads, TV commercials and linking the site to reciprocating companies.

"We walk the client through the process to demonstrate that we are not just creating a website for them, we are revising the entire business strategy, and that involves every aspect of the business," Blair noted.

The next step is to deal with the client's management in a way that makes clear what each party is responsible for. "There are some companies who want us to do it all and just update them every so often as to how it is going. Then there are those who want to be highly involved and update the site themselves," Blair said.

"One thing our clients must know is that the Web site will not guarantee instant success. Some people think as soon as the Web site goes up, profits are going to skyrocket. Not true. It takes two to three months just to become registered with a search engine and can take from three to five years to see real results in profits."

Blair sees his service as an investment that a company is making into its business. And like any investment, it takes time to deliver a return.

Just as each client makes an investment with WEBSPINNERS, the duo is making an investment with the entire community. Blair  sees true opportunity in the community and have plans to create programs to educate the community on the world of e-commerce and to attempt to "bridge the digital divide." With a clientele based mainly in Muskegon, the company looks to expand further.

"Right now we have some clients in Grand Rapids and Flint but eventually we would like to move out to Chicago, New York, Boston and maybe even California," Blair said.

To stay on top of the game Blair believes the secret is in providing unique, creative design and top-notch strategic development for each customer. Blair said, "We are in this for the long haul. We have a vested interest in each one of our clients."

"It not only gives us satisfaction to see them succeeding because of their Web site but it is also good for us in return. If they succeed, we all succeed."

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