Does every business belong online?

Puptown Gourmet's web site shows the different services offered including their vegetarian dog treats

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Many traditional brick-and-mortar companies are finding the best use of the Web may be as a complement to their existing ventures. But an online presence may also be a good growth vehicle for a solid small business.

CNN's Natalie Pawelski talked with Ken Gavranovic, CEO of Interland, Inc., -- a Web hosting and site design company -- to get some tools for companies looking for an Internet presence.

Q: This web hosting idea, it sounds like you're serving cocktails or something. What is it?

Gavranovic: When you have a Web site, somewhere there has to be a computer and a system behind that that's hosting the Web site. So what we do is we handle all that kind of that technical part of developing a Web site for a small-to-medium size business.

Tools Tip 1: Site design is available through a Web Host and can cost anywhere from $200 and up.

Q: What kind of normal "mom and pop" small-medium businesses can really benefit from going on the Web?

THE QUESTION We asked Bob Metcalfe, Director or IDG this week's Just One Question, What is the next big role computers will play in our lives? The Answer

Gavranovic: Pup Town Gourmet was basically a small retail shop. They focused on dog lovers in their neighborhood who wanted to buy treats for their dogs. So here's a small-to-medium size business that was only doing $30,000 to $40,000 a month in revenues and now they've built their business into a $200,000 a month business, just by simply putting these great specialty products on the Web.

Tools Tip 2: Many host packages include promotional tools to drive traffic to your site.

Q: For a site like this, is it a case of "if you build it they will come" or do you have to do something, if you're a small business, to steer people to your site?

Gavranovic: If you build it they will not come -- but, if you build a good Web site and have a good product, just like a traditional brick-and-mortar business, then over time you're gonna get more and more people to come back. And they're going to tell their friends.

Q: So I've got my business, you've sold me, I know I want to take it online. How do I even start?

Gavranovic: This is one of the reasons that many small-to-medium sized businesses don't have a Web site... they think: "Where do I start?" "How do I get someone to design my Web site?" "What about security?" "Can someone steal my customer information?"

We focus on what is called "outsourcing." We go out and make the huge investment in a state-of-the-art data center, state-of-the-art security and firewall systems. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call Interland, or another service provider, and say "Hey, I have my business, I make gourmet food for dogs." They can focus on their business and we take and maintain the Web site and make sure everything works. We explain it to you in very simple, layman terms.

Q: Recently we've seen that Amazon(.com) and eToys(.com) have run into trouble. Why would a small business take a risk like that?

Gavranovic: That was the great thing (with) eToys (running) into trouble. Who is there? Toys-R-Us.

Q: So, a good Web site will never save a bad business?

Gavranovic: Right, I think that is the lesson here. A good business will always be successful and a bad business is always going to fail.

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Interland Web Solutions

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