Over the past few months, I’ve spoken to a number of small business owners about their websites. As a freelance web designer, I’ve been primarily targeting local small businesses because many of them don’t have websites; the few that do often have an amatuer design that hasn’t been updated since 1998.

Believe it or not, the sales process has been relatively tricky. Although many small business owners are keenly aware the benefits of a professional website, many others don’t seem to care. These people often manage their website themselves and are convinced that they don’t need an upgrade.

The sad truth is that your visitors do form an immediate opinion of your business when they see your website. This first impression can be the difference between gaining or losing a customer!