Why Are We Doing this?

Mission

James T. Berger, Founder

We started this as a group of two Chicago area management consultants practicing in business, technology, sales and marketing, business branding issues and business writing.  We'd been helping mid-sized and small businesses, (SMB's), and associations solve problems in these areas for several decades.

The Gap Grows Larger

Wm. R. Stocking CMC Founder

We'd become alarmed regarding how poorly most SMB's positionned themselves on the the Internet.  Not that long ago, the Internet was touted as being the great "small business equalizer." 

We Knew We had to do Something

In early 2002, Jim Berger and I met and began discussing these issues.  Both of us had gotten weary of being asked by clients, "Will you take a look at our website?"

The news we delivered to these clients was often grim. We wanted a means to get the right message to a large number of businesses before they made additional Internet blunders, or better yet, before they launched any kind of website.

The Knowledge Deficit . . .

A large part of the problem stemed from a lack of knowledge of those people/businesses buying website design services.  (It's still a problem.)  Many times that deficit was compounded by the inexperience or carelessness of the individuals and/or companies delivering the actual implementation of these websites projects.

After examining both visual content and code of hundreds, if not thousands, of websites it had become obvious to me that many, if not most, web designers really didn't understand what went on underneath the visual display they produced.  That lack of knowledge and skill often resulted in websites that looked pretty but didn't produce much business.

The most obvious question:
"How will your website design bring us more business?"
is often never asked by the buyer of web design services.

. . . And Some Little Deceits

"If it looks good, it sells..."
was what one designer told me. Unfortunately, this is still the cynical philosophy of a few website designers, (and their victims don't end at the small business level, large businesses often don't get what they thought they were contracting for.)  This kind of philosophy can squander money on "eye candy" that doesn't deliver monetary returns while avoiding very important content, usability and structural issues.

A New Education and Consulting Service is Born

Our goal is to help you make the most of Internet opportunities through Education and Consultation.  And yes, we'll make money doing this, good money, because our client websites are generally quite successful and word travels fast. 

Our Pledge:

Our Pledge:  If we don't think our organization is a good fit for your Internet project, we'll tell you up-front.  Quite frankly, our services arn't for everyone because we expect and require the client's participation at every major step in the development process.