1. They All Fall Down (Parenting/Family) - This article is available for publication
2. The CHICO Wide Web (Doing Business Locally in the Internet Age) - Published in Summer 2008, Insights Magazine

Have you ever been on the phone with someone when something traumatic happened on the other end of the line? I have. I’m telling you, it’s the worst feeling I’ve ever had as a dad. I swear there’s something that happens to a guy when he becomes a father. I’m pretty sure there’s an undiscovered protector/fixer gene that kicks-in or something. Maybe it’s the “dad-need” that I have to fix things. That’s what us men always want to do, right? Anyhow, here’s what happened…

I was having my nightly drive-home-from-work phone call with my wife. Just regular stuff, you know, “How was your day?” “What’s for dinner?” That kind of stuff. All of a sudden her voice changed. “I have to go. Something’s wrong with Tristen,” she said with a serious and urgent tone. And she hung up. Arrrrrggghhh! Now what?! I was about 15 minutes from home and I was going crazy. I didn’t know what was wrong with our eight-year-old daughter, but I couldn’t get home fast enough. I prayed a short prayer for her safety and my cell phone rang again. This time it was my nine-year old, Tally. I could hardly understand her because she was crying so hard, “Tissy fell in the driveway and hurt her face,” was all I could make out. Soon my wife, Cris was on the phone. I could tell she was worried, but she spoke calmly and slowly so she wouldn’t panic the girls any further. She told me that the girls, who were wearing big rubber “yard” boots, were running in the driveway pushing dolls in baby strollers when Tristen tripped at full speed. Instead of protecting herself she held onto the stroller to protect her doll and she fell face-first onto the concrete. She had broken both front teeth and bloodied her whole face with road rash all over her nose, cheeks and forehead.

I can’t describe the mix of emotions I felt at that moment. I hurt for my little girl. I wanted to be there to hold her. I wished I had been there to catch her. I would have gladly taken the pain myself to spare her of the hurt. At the same time, in what I can only describe as a “dad moment,” I was also kind of mad at her for falling on her face and causing all this stress. Why didn’t she let go of the stroller to save her face? I remember thinking to myself, “I really need to teach these girls how to fall down!”

Soon I was home, she was in my arms and we were on our way to the Emergency Room. During the five hours we were there I realized something. First, I love my kids and family more than life itself, and it kills me to see any of them in pain. But also, I realized that, in a strange and profound way, my wife and I had taught Tristen how to fall. She did for that plastic baby doll what I would have done for her. If I had fallen while pushing my daughter in a stroller I would have absolutely sacrificed my face... even my very life... to protect her from harm. How could I stay mad knowing that? She learned something too: it hurts when you fall, so you need to be careful where you run and you need to look for soft places to land.

Now, a few weeks later (and a few thousand dollars lighter), her teeth are fixed, her scars are healing and I’m sharing this story with you. The truth is, none of us can keep our kids from falling, and we won’t always be there to catch them. All we can do is teach them how to fall.

Or maybe invent the rubber driveway.

Chuck Peters is the dad to two awesome girls, and the husband of their amazing mom. 

There’s no denying that the World Wide Web has changed the world. Today anyone with a computer and an Internet connection literally has the world at their fingertips. With just a few clicks of your mouse you can check the weather in Wisconsin, book a room in Boston or peruse the pages of the Paradise Post. Add a credit card and few keystrokes and you can purchase practically anything you like without leaving your Lazy Boy. Buying online is fast, easy and convenient. Furthermore, as gas prices continue to climb it’s easy to imagine that more shoppers than ever will choose to use their keyboards instead of their car keys. Even if they don’t ultimately make their purchases online, many will use their computers to compare costs, read reviews, and find out which local shop has an item in stock before they head out the door to go to the store.

The Internet clearly offers benefits of comparison and convenience to consumers, but what impact, if any, does it have on companies doing business on a local level? Does a local business need to be online to locate local customers? 


Online Sales & Marketing Trends
While selling one's wares online isn't an absolute necessity at the moment, eCommerce is certainly growing in popularity. According to US Census Bureau data, online sales rose 19 percent and topped $136 billion in 2007. Experts predict that Internet sales will keep growing in the double digits in 2008, and that brick-and-mortar stores will continue to suffer. The fact is more people are spending more money than ever online. As more and more consumers become more and more comfortable with the idea of secure transactions and purchasing products on the Web, local businesses will need to adjust their approach to sales. Businesses great and small need to work to increase their online presence. Reaching potential customers on the Internet is something that every store should explore, and the sooner, the better.



If they seek, Will you be found?

There are customers out there who want to find your business. The secret is to be found where they are looking. In the past this meant being in the Yellow Pages. Most people would agree that a business that can't be found in the Yellow Pages won't be found by most people. The Yellow Pages are still an important place to be found, but they aren’t the only place you need to be found. In a recent article for Entrepeneur.com, Marketing expert Kim T. Gordon noted that, "

According to a study from the Kelsey group, marketers targeting younger demographics should transition away from print. Only 28 percent of teens said they would turn to print Yellow Pages first to find a local business, product, or service, while 47 percent said their first choice would be search engines. And just 44 percent of respondents between the ages and 18 and 34 favored print Yellow Pages." Statistics show that more and more people are opting to go to Google -- especially younger and more technologically savvy types -- even to locate local businesses. So, even local stores seeking local customers would be wise to develop a strong online presence.


Online Options

According to Andy Main, owner of Chico.com, "Every company needs to take measures to provide a way for potential customers to find them online.” While many small business owners may be inclined to believe that the Web is for large, national companies, Andy believes that local stores that cannot be found online are missing a prime opportunity to reach customers who may live just around the corner. According to Main, search engines like Google are keenly aware of the fact that local people use the Internet to locate local businesses. "Search engines use IP profiling to track your computer to an area so they can return search results based on your region." Basically, search engines know where you are when you log on to the Web, and this location information is used to serve up search results that are customized to your area. So, if you Google "Garden Supplies" in Gridley, you'll get different results than someone in Grand Rapids. Main believes that local businesses must take advantage of this knowledge to be successful. 



What are Your Options?
Having an online presence doesn't necessarily mean hosting your own Website, although that's not a bad idea. There are several low-dollar and no-dollar ways for a local company to improve its search engine results ranking. The first logical step is to get listed in existing online directories (like those offered by YellowPages.com, Chico.com, and the Chico Chamber) that target local consumers. Next, register your business with online mapping sites like Mapquest and Google Maps. It's easy, it's free, it lets you list your location and contact information, and it shows people exactly where to find you.


All Websites are not created equal. A poorly conceived Website may not deliver any benefit at all. The key is to optimize your site for search engines so it will show up on the first results page. In a recent article for SearchEngineResults.com, Richard Zwicky writes,"More than 90 percent of all search referrals are from the first search engine results page (SERP). If your Website doesn't rank for relevant terms on page one, you might as well be invisible.” Optimizing sites to improve search engine standing is both an art and a science. While there are some general techniques you can try (see sidebar), Chico.com's Andy Main recommends saving the stresses of trial and error by getting help from a professional who knows how to get the results you're after. 


Going Local

Many Chico businesses have already begun taking advantage of the Internet to boost their business. Sarah Kirkpatrick and Michael LaRocca of Perfection Pools and Spas describe their Website as an online advertisement. "Our Website is basically an online billboard that allows people to find us," says Kirkpatrick, the store manager. “We use the site to draw people in to the store.” "We post picture galleries of all the pool and spa styles that we offer, and we have links to suppliers," adds Michael. "Even though all of our customers live within a 50-mile radius, people find us online, they look at our site, and then they call or come in to get a quote," says Sarah. 


Thomas & Margo Graham, owners of The Goodman House Bed & Breakfast, say the Internet is extremely important to their lodging business, "It has affected our method of advertising for sure. We do not rely on print or much other than Web links to promote our B&B. Our online presence is through our Website and good positioning online with keywords and lodging links. Visitors may book rooms online or call after they have seen our Website." The Grahams are big-time believers in the power of the Web to attract customers from outside the area. "We would advise businesses that have a customer base outside the community to get online. We hired Unique Web Design to handle all aspects. It was worth our investment, affordable, and seemed easy.”


Poni Mosier, owner of Grace Jr., a specialty retail store in Chico, launched her Website five years ago and she has seen an increase in sales of 10-15 percent per year. “Our Website brings us business from Florida, Texas, Southern California… all over the country. People find us as they search the Internet for products that we carry and then they order online. The results didn’t come immediately, but people do find you (when you're online).” “For us,” Poni notes, “the Website is a nice supplement to our physical store, but it will never be a replacement for it," she says. “People enjoy coming in and walking through the store to look around.” Clearly, browsing through the store is part of the experience and appeal of shopping at Grace Jr. “But,” she's quick to say, “I do overhear people in the shop talking about our Website. So I know locals are going there.”

While many businesses that began as brick-and-mortar stores have added websites as supplemental sales and support tools, A Main Hobbies has taken the exact opposite approach. A Main Hobbies started as a Web-only operation, selling radio controlled (R/C) cars, boats, planes, parts and accessories. Now, the company is an Internet sales success story. “We started in the owner's garage,” says John "JT" Taylor, Director of Marketing at A Main Hobbies. “Now we’re moving into a 43,000 square foot facility.” While they are a Chico-based company, the majority of their customers come from outside the immediate area. “As much as 95 percent of our business comes from outside Chico,” says JT. “50 percent of our orders are International, 45 percent come from all over the US, and 5 percent are locals who order online.” 


JT points out that limiting your business to the local market alone is… limiting. “To be successful today you can't just think local. You have to be competitive on a global scale. I’m not sure why anyone would limit themselves to a few thousand potential local customers. If you open yourself to the Web you can get orders from all over the country."

There are other advantages too. “As an online operation our costs are a lot lower than brick-and-mortar stores, so we can offer better prices." He also notes that the Internet never closes, "Customers can order any time of the day or night. Our Website pulls in orders even when we aren't here. After a good weekend we can come in on Monday and find 800 or 900 orders waiting for us.” They now have plans to open a traditional retail shop on Mangrove in August, but the Web will remain their primary portal for sales.



Is Local Still Local?
Ultimately, one could conclude that a local company with an effective Website and a strategic vision for how to utilize it is no longer a local operation at all. In many ways the Web levels the proverbial playing field so that local companies can have a presence that reaches not only across the street, but also around the world.

While it’s hard to say that any one strategy is right for everyone, there is little doubt that local residents are looking for local businesses online.

As more people turn to search engines to find products and services, the local companies that are most easily found will have the greatest opportunity to attract new customers, and to gain a distinct advantage over competitors who cannot be found online. So what are you waiting for? Start taking measures to improve your online presence today. You never know who might be Googling you tomorrow!



Chuck Peters is an Emmy Award-winning writer and video producer. He is Vice President of Production at Kidmo in Nashville, TN. 





SIDEBAR: Supercharge Your SERPs!

Optimize your Website by including the things that search engines look for. Here are some simple steps you can take to improve your rank.

1) Be Word Wise - Include key words and phrases that people might enter into a search engine. Describe your product or service in as many different ways as possible. If you have a submarine sandwich shop don't just use the words "sub" and "shop" on your site. Include terms like sandwich, hoagie, grinder, blimpie and Dagwood. The key is to catch people searching for the same kinds of things that you offer. You can always teach them how to say it your way once they walk through your door.


2) Zip It - To get better results from local searchers, make sure your website includes references to cities in your area (Chico, Paradise, Oroville, etc). Include zip codes, county names and regional descriptions to identify your area of service. 


3) Link Up - Search engines look for links. The more you have, the greater your results. Inbound links provide popularity. Get as many links to your site as you can on as many sites as you can. It's also important to include outbound links to other sites. These help increase your site's relevancy. Whether inbound or out, when you link up your site, you'll rank up your results.