Hostway Partners With Chambers Of Commerce Nationwide To Provide Small Businesses With Free Web Servicess

Hostway and chambers of commerce nationwide launch "A Website for Every Business"

Chicago, IL—October 27, 2004—Thirty-five percent of small business owners feel that having a website is the most important tool to expanding their business, according to a study conducted in April 2004 by Harris Interactive. Seventy percent of all small businesses in the U.S. have or plan on having a website by the end of the year.

What about the remaining 30 percent?

Hostway, a global leader in Web hosting and managed services, in partnership with chambers of commerce across the country, today launched "A Website for Every Business," a campaign devoted to providing small businesses and entrepreneurs with the means and motivation to join the Internet Age.

This campaign, a collaboration between chambers of commerce nationwide and Hostway, is designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs take advantage of the Internet. Each chamber of commerce that participates in this campaign will be able to provide its members with the following services free-of-charge:

• Web hosting for six months ($120 Value)
• Access to Hostway's Site Builder - a professionally designed website development tool that offers customized website templates for every type of business ($24 value)

To Participate in "A Website for Every Business":

Chamber

1. Visit http://www.hostway.com/chamber/signup.html to submit your entry form
2. Once you have signed up to participate, you will be given a unique Web address that your members will be able to visit to redeem the free hosting offer.

Chamber Members

1. Please contact your local chamber to inquire if they have signed up for "A Website for Every Business."

"Many small business owners feel they need to be tech savvy to have a website. The mission of this campaign is to overcome that illusion by educating small business owners on the simplicity behind creating a website," said John Lee, vice president of marketing at Hostway. "Hostway's goal is to raise awareness about the great value the Internet can bring to small businesses. This way we can truly provide a website for every business."

Also, chambers will have the opportunity to offer their members educational material from Hostway on the following topics:

• How to get your small business online
• How to protect your privacy online
• Top ten search engine optimization tips
• Value-added services to sway your customers
• Landing your first clients

Chamber members are not the only ones that will benefit from this campaign. The first chamber of commerce in each region (Midwest, East, West, and South) to enroll 50 members in the Hostway program between October 25, 2004 and March 1, 2005 will receive a $2,500 prize.

In order to inform and inspire chamber members to participate in this campaign, each chamber will have access to professionally designed promotional material that they can easily customize according to their needs.