Hi All,

My family has a small business with a retail store and are looking to extend their presence online.
There are several goals for this - exposing online users to our 'Branded Experience' - which is a big part of what the business is, but also ultimately creating a sales channel with people buying direct online, or even just browsing then coming in to the store.

I don't own or work in the business - I'm more of the 'family IT guy' - so of course they ask me for pointers here. However I am a seasoned software developer, not a web designer - but I do understand why one cannot sufficiently do the other.

There are other people they know they have spoken to who say 'Sure, I can make you a website' - but so far my advice is: Anyone can install wordpress and use a template to make a website.
The issue isn't the technicality of it - it's the marketing and design experience that goes into it - and having a partner in your digital branding and exposure that you can work with.

I am advising to stay away from fly-by-night 'I can make a website' type characters.

What I am wanting to know is can anyone vouch for some decent web design / digital presence companies in the 09?
There are so many when you google - and I imagine half of them are crap.

We also don't have a multi-million dollar marketing budget (yet)

Anyones input much appreciated.