“The most important brand attributes for a B2B vendor are often credibility and trust – and unless you are a well known company like IBM, the best way to build credibility and trust is by sharing useful information. If you can help frame the discussion, your company will be seen as a trusted advisor and thought leader.”

I don’t think I have ever heard it said any better.

Businesses definitely need to be creative and not so afraid to try things and make mistakes. Thanks for mentioning Groupon, I had heard of it before but never really looked into in. A group discount coupon site is a great idea – A win for the business (large quantity sale) and the consumers ( discount)

that may mean that people like us loose out on the 4.5 million small businesses in America

I would say yes and no to that.
We might very well miss out on a small business’s dollars at the early stages of their foray onto the web. They can do it mostly themselves.
Offerings like Google’s lowers the barrier to entry tremendously. That is a challenge AND an opportunity.

In a good number of cases these DIYers would not make decent clients anyway. They cannot afford you. At least not your seo and website development services.

But there is the opportunity to catch those clients by somehow become their “trusted adviser.” Most small businesses have no clue when it comes to the web and are (rightly) afraid of being fleeced. If internet marketers take on a “trusted adviser” role (think consulting, but with a lighter touch) and offer to guide small businesses at each stage of their journey on the web and help them get just the amount of marketing that they need at that time (no more, no less) to be successful…

(I think) Not only will people pay for that, they will love you for it.

OR, I could be completely wrong. But those are my thoughts on it.

@Stephen,
Thanks for your comment.
Of course, I was only suggesting that a startup might forgo a website at the early stages. Absolutely they will need a website as they grow their marketing and they will need a website that ACTUALLY MARKETS THEIR BUSINESS! Most websites don’t. They just sit there. Expensive, flash-heavy, paperweights!

This is NOT what a small startup needs. Actually no one needs a website, what they need is marketing. And, if done right, a website is [part of a] marketing [strategy].

From your website I can see that this is what you are talking about too (a website as marketing) and I agree with you.

Yes, it is just like an offline analogy.
Yes, a website is a store. And what is a store? overhead!

So, for a small startup service business (for example) you probably would be better off starting without a storefront!
In the days before Google you would put an ad in the yellow pages. Customers would call you and you would go to them. No expensive storefront necessary in the startup stages.
Once you have some cashflow, THEN you buy the storefront.
That is bootstrapping. It builds your small business marketing muscles and ingenuity.

Ironically your comment is an example of
marketing that small businesses can do online and they wouldn’t even need a website.
Small businesses can comment on local and industry specific websites and list their google place page in the url.
My point is this: if you are a small business, start as simply (and personal) online as possible and then grow from there.
So many small business try to “look professional” by creating highly polished websites. It seems to me that they would be better off making highly personal websites. Tell your story. Showcase your staff. Engage your customers and the community. Be human.
It’s ok if it is small at the start. It’s ok if it looks unpolished and personal. You are growing and it will grow with you. And your customers will enjoy watching your story (and your success) unfold.

Thanks!

Steve Hall
Donna Gaeta

I like your concept of “Bootstrapping”, a SMB could potentially get away without a “website” in today’s local marketplace, but I still think its important to have a homebase for the SMB to drive customers and searchers back to that they ultimately control. A good wordpress site works perfect for most SMB’s. G-Maps + WordPress + a little Social Media + some basic SEO strategies = some great ROI for most small businesses.

BTW, got you on my G-reader now!