PROFITING FROM THE WSI INTERNET CONSULTING ADVANTAGE

Businesses are continuing to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Internet. The e-Marketplace has become a vital business reality, with an ever-growing number of companies rushing to create their web front and begin cashing in on the limitless growth possibilities it offers. A recent survey conducted by AC Nielsen revealed that 58 percent of small businesses experienced growth when embracing e-Commerce, while 49 percent reported reduced operating costs. These findings are not surprising and leave no doubt that creating an Internet business front is a profitable endeavor for any organization.

However, many enterprises still fail to fully capitalize on the outstanding opportunity presented by this advancement in technology. Business owners create their web presence simply because they perceive it to be the right move, completely unaware of the challenges they will face in making a website pay for itself. The reality is that implementing a website is only the first step towards e-Commerce success; most companies entering the world of e-Commerce fail to realize this and are left with an Internet solution that fails to reach an audience, convey pertinent information, or experience a tangible return on investment.

While this failure may initially frighten many businesses away from investing more time and resources into a web presence, it is short lived. Owners and CEOs should be discouraged from this train of thought, and made aware of the possibilities that online commerce presents. Over 27% of businesses implementing Internet commerce solutions experience sales between 100 million and 1 billion dollars annually [AC Nielsen], with the number of consumers making online purchases jumping from 47% to 66% since August 2000 [Andersen Group]. Regardless of past experiences or future considerations, the Internet is once again a booming economic frontier. Companies need someone to educate them on how the web can work for their individual business, and the tools available to help them discover the untapped potential available.

This presents a lucrative opportunity for an individual with the right tools—and attitude—to demonstrate the power of e-Commerce in today’s increasingly Internet-centric landscape. Enter WSI, the #1 Internet Services franchise in the world as ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine. WSI Internet Consulting franchisees become trained Internet Consultants who deliver ROI-focused Internet business strategies to small- and medium-sized companies worldwide. These are companies that are hungry to take a bite out of the opportunities presented by the latest web technologies, but lack the knowledge and experience to do so.

WSI Internet Consultants are often confronted with an all too common situation: A company, eager to enter the lucrative world of Internet business, invests significant dollars into the creation of a website, only to realize little to no return on their investment. “This is a fundamental problem within the Internet Solution industry today” explains Louis Zalany, Chief Executive Officer of WSI Internet Consulting. “So many companies invest immense amounts of capital into the construction and implementation of their online presence, never stopping to consider the strategy behind such a move – or the company creating the website for them. As a result, these million-dollar websites become financial pits, rarely being seen by an audience.” Websites are often constructed by design firms or technology “experts” that have neither the experience nor the understanding to approach the Internet from a business perspective. As a result, these websites tend to exist as financial black holes for the companies who commissioned them. It is their masterpiece without a home, a world-class painting being hidden in an attic instead of the crowded gallery where it belongs.

The reality of Internet business is simple to understand, yet difficult to adapt to: Web users want information fast and easy, and will always embrace the first search results they come across. If a site cannot be found easily and does not present information in an efficient manner, consumers will simply click their way over to a competitor. Realizing this, WSI Internet Consulting recognized a need in the e-Marketplace, and endeavored to fill it. “At its core, the Internet is just a system,” states Zalany. “Having studied the technology thoroughly, our solution adapts to the system, works through it, and produces real-world results that can drastically affect exposure and ultimately revenue.”

WSI Internet Consultants do not merely sell a selection of products or services to a company. Much like their title implies, they consult a business on every aspect of their web strategy, from initial concept to implementation and continued support long after the solution is in place. It is this approach to e-Commerce that sets WSI Internet Consulting apart from the informal and impersonal web creation firms on the market, and one which clients respond to enthusiastically. Instead of simply embracing the creation or improvement of a company website, ICs make proven results their goal, introducing a business to the overall Internet solution that they need.

One of the most sought-after aspects of the WSI Internet Consulting advantage is their patent-pending IBA, or Internet Business Analysis™--the first stage of WSI’s Internet Solutions Lifecycle system. By applying a series of specific inquiries and sophisticated analysis tools to a company’s operating structure, WSI Internet Consultants can pinpoint the specific areas of a client’s business which can benefit from properly deployed Internet technology. Instead of unconvincing technical jargon or empty sales-talk, the prospective client is presented with straightforward, tangible data which has real-world application to their revenue potential. Instead of simply being given a web front to present to potential customers, they are given a preliminary view of a total web solution, and are shown exactly how it will benefit their bottom line. And companies are responding to this personal approach, resulting in the unprecedented success of ICs.

WSI Internet Consulting supports this in-depth business analysis with the latest Internet technologies. Having developed a highly successful private virtual e-Marketplace, comprised of Productions Centers located throughout the world, WSI Internet Consultants are able to offer their clients advanced solutions for any business market in virtually any language. These are high-end technical resources that are simply inaccessible to the majority of web developers; and those that can offer solutions at the same level tend to serve only the Enterprise business market due to the extremely high development costs involved. This has opened up a tremendous opportunity for WSI Internet Consulting and its franchisees, whose shared resources across franchise network allow them to deliver high-end solutions at a price point within reach of the average business owner.

In addition to advanced technology, WSI understands that “being seen”—the ease at which consumers can find the websites they’re looking for—is equally as important to a business as having a modern solution. WSI Internet Consultants approach this factor by offering Search Engine Optimization services, which result in their clients’ websites appearing at the top of search results, where interested consumers are looking for information. A business employing this technology will always be one of the first to be seen when keywords are entered into popular search engines such as Google or Yahoo, ensuring that their unique products and services are always part of the consideration process of potential clients. An effective website traffic generation strategy is a key consideration in the development of any Internet Solution, but is often omitted by the many web design firms that are unable to deliver this type of vital service.

The most important offering that WSI Internet Consultants bring to their clients however, is experienced consultation and education. From the initial Internet Business Analysis to ongoing e-Business education, WSI Internet Consultants make a commitment to their customers to take a vested interest in their overall success, and guide them every step of the way. WSI's global scope and unique positioning as a leader within the Internet industry provides companies and their staff with information that will enable them to adapt to and capitalize on the new global Internet economy as it grows and evolves.

To do all this, WSI Internet Consultants are fully trained through a combination of unique e-Learning coursework modules and a week of in-class training at the company’s Home Office in Toronto, Canada. Successful Internet Consultants come from all walks of life and don’t require any specific technical knowledge. Instead, the right attitude and ability to learn and follow a proven system is what the franchisor looks for when evaluating potential candidates for the opportunity. With over 1000 franchisees in 87 countries worldwide, WSI Internet Consulting system has become an Internet success story with successful new chapters being written every day.