Will Building Your Online Presence Mean More Business?

If you are a local business owner who wants to grow and connect with customers in your area, do you think that a good way to accomplish that is via a search engine that, ideally, could combine the social networking of Facebook with the logistical information of the Yellow Pages–but not at the expense of a prime listing on Google?

Mamaroneck resident Phyllis Gutterman is banking on such a proposition, and has spent the past year pouring all her time and energy into working for MapWide.com as its national director. Despite the connotation of its all-encompassing name, the actual purpose of the company is to help small- to mid-sized local businesses and consumers connect.

"I want to help businesses relate to people locally," Gutterman said. "I want to open business owners' minds to understand that social networking is not a bad thing, and that it can really help grow your business. Word of mouth exists on the Internet."

As a resident of Mamaroneck for more than a decade, Gutterman has long been active in the community. She taught Music Together here for five years, and has been on the Council of the Arts for four years, serving as chairman for the past three. In addition to being a member of the Rye Neck PTSA, the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce, and the Women's Enterprise Development Center of Westchester, she has also served on the Larchmont Temple RS Board.

"I love and care so much about our community here, and want businesses here to succeed," she explained. "I get upset when I see so many vacancies in places like Larchmont and Rye, and I want those businesses on Mamaroneck Avenue to continue to succeed. MapWide.com is one of many things businesses can use to survive and thrive affordably and easily."

Listings on MapWide.com range from $89 to $149 for small businesses, and to $199 for professionals such as doctors and attorneys. Members have complete access via a password to the filtered digital directories and can change the information featured at anytime. Photographs and coupons can be added, and there is a blogging feature on the site. Consumers can search easily by zip code or city.

Within MapWide.com are multiple vertical websites that are dedicated to a particular profession, allowing members to have a high profile within their local markets. These include mapdentist.com, mapattorney.com, mapauto.com, mapflower.com, mapattorney.com, mapdine.com, mapchiro.com, mapvet.com and mapdr.com, amongst others. The founder and CEO of MapWide.com, a dentist in California, has spent the past eight years using private funds to buy up as many domains with the word "map" in them as possible. Gutterman expects the company to roll out 12 to 15 new sites every month.

"Steve, the owner of Toy Box, wanted to know when we were going to have MapToys.com," she quipped.

Gutterman spoke with Jennifer Graziano, president of the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce in January. "Jennifer responded well, and said she always stresses to members that they have to have a budget for marketing if they want to be successful," she noted.

Gutterman later gave her first presentation to the chamber in February, at a meeting held at the Washingtonville Housing Alliance. "I remember starting the discussion by asking, 'Who has a Web site?'" she recalled. "The room was full of local business owners, and only four or five raised their hands. I believe that number has increased several times over since that night. "

Gusano Loco was the first to sign on, even though they didn't have a Web site at all, because they liked the idea so much, Gutterman added.

For more information, contact Phyllis Gutterman at (914) 420-0338, or online at phyllis@mapwide.com.