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Entrepreneur helps businesses discover beauty of internet
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Posted on: 04/06/2008 After more than 20 years in the motor trade, a Cumbernauld man has established a business dedicated to helping smaller firms across the region tap into the power of the internet. Robert McRae, 39 of Carrickstone in Cumbernauld, spent the last 13 years as Bodyshop Manager with a major garage chain in Glasgow. This year he realized a long-held ambition to run his own business by investing in a franchise operation which designs, builds and maintains professional websites for small and medium sized companies. He comments: I have wanted to run my own business for some time now and I initially looked at the motor industry as that is what I know, but there is very little you can do from home with those skills. I started looking at internet-focused businesses because of my own passion for motor cycling. I spend a great deal of time – and money – on sites for motorbike enthusiasts and know just how powerful a tool the internet is for selling products and services. "With major chains and out-of-town centres putting increased pressure on smaller retailers and service providers, online sales are fast becoming the saviour of the small business. This is an exciting new challenge for me and something I know will benefit businesses across Stirling and Cumbernauld." At the same time Robert's new enterprise has answered his wish to spend more time with his young family. He adds: Robert is now sourcing and meeting businesses across the Stirling and Cumbernauld area who are persuaded that the time might have come to look further into the web, with a view to creating or upgrading their online presence. He is the interface between the client and ORCA's factory in Leeds, briefing its central team of experienced designers to produce hard-working websites which reflect the unique positioning of each client. "Smaller retailers and service providers are facing mounting pressure from chains and out-of-town shopping centres. But over 22 million people use the web every month in the UK, searching for information about goods and services. Over £50 billion was spent online last year. A professional online presence is fast proving to be the small business' savior. Traders and manufacturers are also starting to recognise the power of the internet as a prime source of business. "Perceptions are that branded, quality websites which rank high on the search engines must cost a fortune, but as the ORCA concept was built with small businesses in mind, we empathise with their needs. Most small firms have to work within very tight budgetary restraints in marketing their products and services, especially at start-up. Our websites have to be (and are) affordable for them. "And even then, we offer them the opportunity to spread the cost of that relatively modest investment over six months. By about month three if they're selling online, they're usually in the money; a good website can pay for itself in new business generated in a matter of weeks. "Business owners I'm speaking to are gobsmacked at the quality of the sites we're creating for them. The outcomes of their investment are measurable, and they provide an invaluable source of management information. They also optimize any other marketing spend, as potential customers can be steered to the site to find out more." Charlene McGuinness, co-owner of Bliss Beauty comments: "I was really pleasantly surprised at how affordable it was and the site has paid for itself in a matter of months, both by encouraging re-visits from existing clients and attracting new ones. It was also a very painless process. Robert looked after all the detail, enabling us to get on with looking after our clients and running the business." ORCA is a national franchise operation, dedicated to providing quality, affordable websites for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK.
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