As Seen In An Entrepreneur Magazine Publication -
Feature Article - September 1999

Web Wild

If you think a Web site is just a collection of HTML codes and pixels arranged on a virtual page, think again. "A Website is a living, breathing organism," says Roy Fletcher of Fletcher Consulting Inc. in Pembroke Pines, Florida. To be successful, it has to change frequently, showing off new products, sprouting new information and giving customers a reason for repeat visits. That's what keeps Fletcher's Web site design and marketing company hopping.

Fletcher's Web site clients come to him first for the design process and then for all those site updates. And then, of course, there's the e-commerce stuff - affiliate programs, ad auctions and banners, to name a few. "Immerse yourself in what's going on out there," Fletcher advises would-be Web marketers. "Develop an awareness of what works and what doesn't. Marketing is not a science; it's much fuzzier than Web design."

The Internet guru admits that Web site design and Web marketing are two distinct entities, yet he's fused them into a single successful business. With a background in education, accounting, systems, and managing and marketing PCs, Fletcher realized when the World Wide Web broke onto the scene that it was right up all his alley and promptly dove in. He does the heavy-duty design and development stuff out of a home office but shares a support staff - and when it's time to meet with clients- conference space with a local CPA firm.

What's the best way to Net those clients? With the exception of his own Web site, Fletcher does no advertising. Instead, he networks with CPA firms, general business organizations, friends and former clients. And in the early days of his business, he produced some projects for nominal fees as a way to get the word out. Although his networking takes the form of connecting with already-established contacts, Fletcher advises newbies to join professional and civic organizations.