Look up the term "Web hosting" on Google sometime, and see what you get.
Chances are, you'll feel overwhelmed by all the companies willing to
rent server space and help you develop an e-marketing plan. But, says
Gene McCubbin, try calling some of them and see who answers the phone.
As president of Houston-based WebXites, McCubbin has
built a better host, chock full of friendly employees and with a wealth
of happy customers.
How did the Webxites product line get started?
The core idea behind WebXites is recognizing that the small business
entrepreneur or manager simply does not have the time or resources to
substantially invest in a web presence and online marketing. Thus, most
simply continue putting off their Web presence and marketing efforts.
We take the pain out of the equation by doing all the heavy lifting for
them. We are, by definition, a value-added hosting company. The value we
add is the human beings and intellectual property to help you develop
and market your site and our own proprietary point and click templated
web development tool called Visual Composer.
Why do you feel there's a need for what you provide?
Simple: fear. The average small business owner has not properly
developed a Web presence or marketed what they have developed because of
the costs in both time and money. They are afraid of the unseen costs,
they have heard or experienced horror stories, they are afraid of the
impact of their own success from the Internet.
We offer our customers a helping hand in getting rolling, expert advice
based on servicing thousands of customers, and a friendly and helpful
source of ideas both in the beginning and as they grow.
What do you think are the largest challenges facing small businesses
right now, and how does what you do help to tackle those challenges?
I am myself a small business owner and actively involved in the
entrepreneurial community. I love entrepreneurism and am a big believer
in the truth behind the saying that small business enterprises are the
lifeblood of our country's economy.
That being said, most small business owners are first time
entrepreneurs. They are wide-eyed and excited but generally clueless
when it comes to the basics of management, operational issues, finances,
capital acquisition, HR, etc. As a result, good businesses fail
unnecessarily every single day.
WebXites helps entrepreneurs by keeping their Internet and Web expenses
tightly controlled and assisting them in creating additional revenues
they might not otherwise have recognized, potentially through online
sales and marketing, use of coupons to drive traffic into a retail
location, properly closing the loop on the overall advertising cycle by
driving business through their web site, by increasing their
professional credibility, developing e-mail/search engine/ newsletter
marketing techniques, etc.
What kind of reaction do you get from customers about your services?
What do they seem to like the best?
Initially there is some confusion, as we are a paradigm shift from the
typical WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) hosting companies and
software solutions. We are frequently having to answer the question:
"You do ALL THAT for only $50 a month?"
However, most of our customers love the service and become quite
addicted. I jokingly say we use the crack dealer model for expansion:
free for the first 14 days, then $50 a month thereafter. We can give it
to you free for the first 14 days because we know you are going to want
more.
do you know a local company we should cover? Let us know about it.
Send your local profile candidates to emillard@computeruser.com.
