Business Spotlight: Sonnar Productions

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Don't bother looking for the phone number of Sonnar Productions Inc. in the Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages. It's not listed. That's because this downtown Springfield company conducts almost all of its business via the World Wide Web. |ret||ret||tab|

Internet entrepreneur Brandon Bevis started the company as a sideline business in 1995. Although he already owned and managed a Radio Shack store, he was intrigued by the possibility of doing business with clients who lived all over the world via the Web.|ret||ret||tab|

Eventually, Bevis sold his store and took a job as an information technology manager for a local banking company. However, he continued working at Sonnar Productions on the side. Two years later, the bank reorganized, and Bevis was given the option of leaving or taking another job within the company.|ret||ret||tab|

After some soul searching, he decided to leave the banking industry and devote all of his attention to Sonnar Productions. The timing, however, couldn't have been worse.|ret||ret||tab|

"I started full-time at Sonnar Productions on Sept. 14, 2001," he said. "Everybody thought I was crazy. It was three days after Sept. 11, and here I am trying to turn this little company I had on the side into a full-fledged business." |ret||ret||tab|

Bevis persevered, and during the next four months he began learning everything he could about Web site development, CD-ROM presentations and other high-tech services customers had inquired about when he was in the banking industry. |ret||ret||tab|

Then he landed his first client, Letty Van Kleeck, a Realtor with Carol Jones Realtors. Van Kleeck hired Bevis to develop a marketing presentation for her on CD-ROM. Soon, other Springfield businesses, including the The Bank, began hiring him to do their CD-ROM presentations and their Web sites.|ret||ret||tab|

In 2002, Bevis branched out and launched the 417 e-pages, an online advertising and auction resource aimed at consumers who live in the 417 area code. He also began designing Web sites for clients, and he hired several freelance employees. Then in January 2003, he decided to take the company in a new direction.|ret||ret||tab|

"People kept telling me, We love the Web site you did for us, but we need to add some new products to our online store,'" said Bevis. "Sometimes, a client would want to make a couple of simple changes, but they couldn't without running it through us."|ret||ret||tab|

Most Web site developers charge clients for changes, according to Bevis, which creates a steady revenue stream. Still, he couldn't help but feel that there must be an easier, more efficient way to serve his customers and still turn a profit.|ret||ret||tab|

Bevis attacked the problem and began looking for answers. To his amazement, he didn't find any other Web development companies on the Internet that created feature-rich, professional e-commerce Web sites that could be modified later by the customer. He also didn't find any companies that streamlined the process for creating, promoting and launching a professional Web site.|ret||ret||tab|

Inspired, he decided to develop a system that would centralize these functions and put them in the hands of the customer. Last month, he launched Sonnar Productions' new Web site (www.sonnarwebdesign.com), which provides turnkey solutions to individuals and businesses that want to build their own Web sites, including online e-commerce stores, real estate, mortgage, auto dealer and other business and industry Web sites.|ret||ret||tab|

"Through our new Web site, customers can create their own professional-looking, dynamic, e-commerce Web site with a secure and powerful shopping cart," said Bevis.|ret||ret||tab|

Individuals and businesspeople who use Sonnar Productions can build their own Web site using one of the company's 230-plus customizable designs and receive 15 megabytes of storage space for their site, which exceeds most business' needs. However, customers can request additional space if needed.|ret||ret||tab|

Using the "manager console" feature, customers can add, edit or delete pages and page content; upload photos; add products; check sales and customer databases; view visitor statistics; send marketing e-mail to customers; register their site with search engines; and perform other functions such as registering the site's domain name. |ret||ret||tab|

"If you're going to set up a long-term Web site, and you want it to grow with you, this is the way to go," he said. "Our prices are extremely reasonable."|ret||ret||tab|

Pricing, he added, has helped Sonnar Productions attract many out-of-state and international customers. Only 5 percent of Sonnar Productions' clients live in the Springfield area, Bevis estimated.|ret||ret||tab|

"I'd love to have more local clients, but it seems like out-of-state customers are taking advantage of us more," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Recently, Bevis branched out again when he sold his first Sonnar Productions franchise. In the future, he hopes franchise sales will account for a large portion of his business. |ret||ret||tab|

"We now have a system where we can put someone in their own Web development business and show them what we've learned during the last two years," he said. "My goal is to sell 15 franchises in the first six months. It's a wonderful business opportunity."|ret||ret||tab|

All franchisees pay a small fee to have their business hosted on one of Sonnar Productions' 25 servers, which are located in California, New Jersey and Texas. Those who purchase a franchise also are given the option of doing business as Sonnar Productions or under another business name.|ret||ret||tab|

Bevis said he's proud of the Web site development system that he's set up, and he truly enjoys his career. |ret||ret||tab|

"I've never been happier than I am right now," he said. "A lot of that has to do with loving customer service. I've never had one client ask, Can your Web site do this?' and had to tell them no."|ret||ret||tab|

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