Eureka-based K1 Creative has launched a new web site, Thingomobiz.com, to promote local business. The web site was designed to extend the reach of local businesses by increasing their online presence and connecting them directly with Internet shoppers.
“One day, many months ago, we sat around the office throwing out ideas on how we could help local businesses grow their business,” said Wayne Kissel, owner of K1 Creative. “What we came up with was Thingomobiz.com.”
The web site lists the name, address, phone number and category of every business in the community, free of charge. An interactive Google map is displayed for each business, allowing the end user to get directions to or from that location.
Businesses also have the opportunity to expand their listing for a monthly fee. Expanded listings contain a logo, a description of the business, a web site link, up to five testimonials, an online coupon, unlimited key words and multiple categories. The coupon can display up to 3 images (a product, logo and barcode) and up to five different offers. Expanded listings are available starting at $25 per month.
“It needed to be easy to use, powerful and affordable,” Kissel said. “Thingomobiz.com allows business owners to modify their listing by adding or editing customer testimonials, adding or editing their online promotion or coupon, and adding or editing keywords that consumers might be searching for to direct them to their business.”
Users can filter their search results if they want to look only for companies offering a coupon. A drop-down menu allows users to also search by business category. The web site uses bold colors and large fonts for ease of readership.
“We wanted a clean, simple site to promote our business community”, Kissel said. “We think thingomobiz.com offers greater value for businesses than other forms of advertising. The users of our site are already in a buying mood because they’re looking for businesses with coupons.”
The web site uses the current list of local business licensees as a data source, which is publicly available from the city.
“We are trying to contact all of the businesses in person”, Kissel said. “You can see a very quick overview at http://k1dev.com/thingomobiz/overview. There is also a link to a live demo site where you can play around and see how thingomobiz.com works.”
There’s a growing trend to shop locally and support your own community, according to Kissel, a member of the local Chamber of Commerce. “Our slogan, ‘Give where you live!’, is meant to reinforce our commitment to community. With Thingomobiz.com, we hope to bridge the gap between local businesses and consumers.”