- by Christopher Trela

VIRTUAL STOREFRONTS CREATE BUSINESS SUCCESS

Newport Beach, CA -

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a website speaks volumes about the person or company it represents. A good website can create a positive image for a product or corporation, and it can get people excited and motivated to learn more about that product or company. In fact, business success can rise or fall on the strength of a website, particularly for those companies whose primary clientele are hooked up to the world wide web.

"A website shouldn't be treated like an ad, but as an exchange of information," says entrepreneur Karen Hulse, the owner and creative pulse of Maximedia Productions, a multimedia & web design firm in Newport Beach, California.

"Small businesses that might be overlooked in the traditional business environment can create a big image on the world wide web. It's an opportunity to 'level the playing field' with much larger companies. The free enterprise system is back."

Hulse speaks from experience. She has been creating virtual storefronts on the web , interactive presentations on CD-ROM, and linear presentations on video for several years, and has a lengthy list of satisfied clients all over the country who like Hulse's unique combination of personal service, technical expertise and creative design skills. To achieve the best results, Hulse has extensive communications with her clients to get a proper feel for their needs and requirements. She creates the components for any given project using the most cutting edge software and techniques, including Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Director and Flash 4, (platforms designed for interactive multimedia delivery on the web or CD-ROM) and even 360 degree panoramic demonstrations.

Hulse owes part of her success to a background of interior design, music and writing. She can create an image for her clients much like an interior designer would create the ambience in a home or place of business -- a "virtual environment." Her musical training has provided the discipline and certain skills necessary to channel creativity into her work.

Interestingly, Hulse began doing website design a few years ago not with her own site, but with a virtual gallery of the artwork of Pilar Wayne, John Wayne's widow. Hulse's father, Dr. Roy Hulse, was a good friend of the Duke , so she grew up around the Wayne family. Pilar, still a close family friend, has been creating beautiful paintings for several years and a website seemed to be the perfect vehicle for people from around the world to view her work. The site has since changed quite a bit, and is currently maintained by Mrs. Wayne's staff in Fort Worth, TX. Hulse recently developed a site for Duke and Pilar's daughter, Newport Beach attorney Aissa Wayne. (www.aissawayne.com)

After Pilar's website was up and running, Hulse created her own site, www.maximediaproductions.com, and then another for a local pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Since that time, she has created websites for all types of businesses including medical practices, law firms, art galleries, restaurants, musical performers, wine reviews, oriental antiques, auto dealerships, surfwear --even birth announcements on the web!

Just a few of Hulse's current clients include an aerospace consulting company (headed by the former director of NASA's Space Flight Program,) the president of a regional Medical Association, and a Real Estate "Megastore."

"First impressions happen so fast.... you're either among the noticed, or you're not," says Hulse.

"It's more important than ever to have an outstanding web presence, and promotional materials which support it. They should work together as an ongoing cycle. The purpose here is to be elevated beyond the competition.... to stand out from the crowd."