Check out their website. A company without a website is a company losing clients (and losing clients equals losing money). Everyone knows print design can be very effective, whether it’s handing out business cards or mailing newsletters. But what is the one of the largest forms of communication today? Writing a letter and giving it to the postman? No—in today’s world it’s email. People are online 24/7 and having a website gives users, your potential clients, an all hours marketing tool. For any business, all businesses, having an online presence is invaluable.

Marketing seems to be the department that is built last. It isn’t until businesses hit the mega bucks that they really begin investing in marketing—the next thing you know they’re in Forbes magazine. So how can you afford to invest? Remember those financial planners telling you to start investing when you were 15? “All you have to do is put in $20 a month!” they’d say. Then, when you hit 55, and you’d have compound interest alongside of the yacht you just purchased.

So maybe the constant change of design and technology doesn’t quite guarantee compound interest and a yacht. But let’s think about this: when you are just starting out, what is the most difficult thing? I’d say most of your work goes into generating business. Web design is one of those tools that, if done well, will give you that exponential start to your business. Over time, the marketing power of a well-built website will pay for itself. So, what is a 24 hour marketing tool worth to you? If you want my two cents, it’s priceless.