Empire Sound Productions

Small business owners still weighing the worth of establishing an Internet presence should ponder Darren Ingram.

For very little cost, his Empire Sound Productions in Fayetteville has a quality Web site that’s become exactly what Ingram said he needed — another way to promote professional audio production and to drive business. His site details the full-midi studio’s business-to-business products so concisely that even Web surfers who don’t need commercial jingles or radio imaging can appreciate what Empire has to offer.

But www.empiresound.com also accomplished the most important thing an advertising tool — regardless of the form it takes — can. It’s brought Ingram new business.

Included among the new clients his site has attracted is Triple “J” Motors in Tamuning, Guam. How’s that for expanding your market base?

The site, which Ingram self-built for less than $100, averages between 300 and 400 page views per month. That’s a heck of a lot more potential customers than traffic his studio on Mission Boulevard, and he didn’t even have to relocate to a mall.

Empire’s Web site doesn’t have flashy mouse-over features or hyperlinks, the kind of expensive add-ons that have drawn kudos in our four- and five-mouse ratings. But it makes efficient use of a new medium, and for an info-based site representing a two-person operation, Empire makes an “excellent” showing.

The first incarnation, Ingram said, came in 1996. He used only America Online’s “Make Your Own Home Page” tools for the site’s debut. A former local advertising designer helped Ingram create his company’s logo, and recently he purchased a used version of Microsoft Front Page that enabled him to redesign and upgrade the site.

The upgrade included adding its most impressive features — Real Audio streaming and MP3 links that allow customers to hear samples of Empire’s work. There’s also a section for reviewing voice talent and Internet slideshows that can be streamed directly to customers.

Three out of four of our reviewers got the music and lyrics to download quickly over DSL and 56K modem connections. One of the technicians said for a homegrown site, “Empire Sound is solid.”

Our artistic reviewer called the site “clean and easy to navigate.” She said, “I’m impressed that it was done by a self-taught, non-designer.”

Another reviewer said although Ingram intentionally didn’t make the site commercial, he might consider using Web site ads to up-sell clients on other services. He certainly didn’t have to sell us on his technological savvy.