5. Early Online Advertising (Nascent & Less Sophisticated):

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Showcasing Work (Portfolio as a Lead Magnet):

The Company's Own Website: This was arguably the most critical sales tool. The web design firm's own website had to be exemplary for 2000 standards – clean design, fast loading (for dial-up), clear navigation, and basic interactivity. It served as the ultimate demonstration of their capabilities. It would feature a prominent "Contact Us" section with phone numbers and email.
Printed Portfolios/Case Studies: Creating physical binders or brochures filled with screenshots of completed client websites, testimonials, and descriptions of the results achieved. These were essential for in-person meetings.


Banner Ads: Placing banner ads on relevant industry portals, local business news canada phone number list sites, or early online directories where business owners might browse for services. The call to action typically linked to their website.
Online Directories: Listing the web design company in early, often free, online business directories (e.g., Yahoo! Directory, early local business listings).
Google AdWords (Post-October 2000): Google AdWords launched in October 2000. For early adopters, this provided a new way to target businesses actively searching for "web design," "e-commerce solutions," or "internet marketing." This allowed for more intent-based lead generation than general banner ads.
Key Challenges & Opportunities in 2000 for Web Design Leads:

Education Gap: A significant portion of lead generation involved educating prospects about the value of the internet and a professional website. Many businesses still saw it as a novelty or an unnecessary expense.
Selling the "Future": Web designers were often selling a vision of future business growth and efficiency, rather than just a tangible product.
Trust and Credibility: As a new industry, establishing trust and credibility was paramount. Referrals and a strong portfolio were key.
Limited Competition (Initially): While the industry was growing rapidly, it wasn't as saturated as it is today, offering first-movers a significant advantage.
Measuring ROI was Difficult: Without sophisticated analytics tools, demonstrating the direct ROI of a website was more challenging, often relying on anecdotal evidence or basic metrics like "hit counters."
In essence, generating leads for a web design business in 2000 was a pioneering effort, heavily reliant on direct outreach, personal relationships, and a strong focus on educating the market about the transformative power of the internet