Jacob, from Northern Alberta, called me today to inquire about getting his honey business online.

Jacob was calling because he is on a quest. Jacob wants people to find his business online when they search for honey. He has a free website from his telephone company and isn’t sure how to get it to work for his honey business. I think, hmm, a sweet opportunity to gain a new client. The “free” website that came with his internet access was causing him grief, I guess, because he couldn’t figure out how to get his buzzing business online. I guess free isn’t always such a great deal.

The fact that Jacob was entering the word “honey” into the search engines and his business doesn’t show up seemed to be bothering him. We talked at length about professional website development and how search engines work. I predicted that a free website may not help his business to sell honey. Although, I admit that even a free website, in the right hands, might perform for a business.

So driving home with David, my co-worker, we’re chatting about Jocob’s honey business. The conversation quickly switches to bees. Neither David or I know much about bees, other than the fact that they make honey. We guessed that they must hibernate, or something, in the winter time. After all, I said, have you ever had a bee bother you while you have a picnic in the winter? David quickly pointed out that we don’t often picnic in the Winter.

Our conclusion – if Jacob needs a website to sell honey in the dead of winter, the bees must still be out there… somewhere. Do bees make honey in the winter?

An interesting part of our day as web developers is that we don’t really know who our next potential client will bee.

I hope Jacob calls me back to develop his marketing website. We have a few questions. I’m thinking some sort of “buzz marketing” could be the answer for Jacob.

Where is your next client going to bee? Does your website bring you new clients?

Sorry for my stinging attempt at humour.

David A. West