Yellowknife (Feb 12/03) - The people behind the NWT2000.com and yellowknifebusiness.com directories are ready to take the two web sites to the next step.

NWT2000 was started by partners Jim Eirikson and Chris Hunt three years ago as a territory-wide business directory.

With the site well established by last year, the pair were approached by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce to set up a similar, fully categorized directory for Yellowknife firms.

"Since then the two directories have basically evolved as sister sites," said Eirikson.

"Because it has been around for a while, NWT2000 tends to get the most hits. For that reason we decided that all of the companies listed in the Yellowknife directory would be in the NWT directory as well.

"That makes sense anyway because 80 per cent of the companies in the territory are based in Yellowknife."

The sites now have about 1,800 companies listed in some 150 categories. The basic listing service is free.

"It is our job to make sure everybody is in there and we are updating the sites constantly," said Hanks.

"We are also continuing to add categories and should have more than 200 in the near future."

In January, the two sites began offering marketing enhancements to interested firms.

"We have done this with 40 firms already so there is definitely a lot of interest there," said Eirikson.

"Both sites are well visited so there are excellent marketing possibilities through them."

Enhancements offered include an email hot link, banners, and a hot link to the listed companies own web site.

"We can also set up mini-web pages on either site for companies that don't have their own web page," said Hanks.

"That is a good way for a restaurant, for example, to display their menu. Most restaurants don't have their own web page."

The partners also offer a full web page design and `web master' service for companies that want their own sites.

"Yellowknife has always been state of the art in terms of access, but we've been surprised at how many firms aren't using the net for marketing," said Eirikson.

Hanks said many firms see value in mounting a web site, but haven't gotten around to doing it. Others that do have a site can't find the time to keep it updated.

"Certainly we are seeing a need there for a service like this. We are designing web sites for eight companies and we have only started with it."

The new sites are then updated at no charge at regular intervals for the first year.

"It is a good way for companies to see what the marketing advantages will be. It's basically a turn-key service for companies that don't have the time to put into it."

What is their approach to web page design?

"Keep it simple," said Eirikson.

"In the communities, access is by dial-up so you have to design with that in mind if that is where your market is."