Web directory expands its team for new push 

L-R Cathy Williams, Paul Young, Michael Burbidge, Kate
Copley, Kim Bowen, Tony Ashmore, Hilary McKenzie-
Cahill

Monday, April 11, 2005

As a result of the launch of Ecay, the Cayman Islands’ only online and printed web directory, Alfresco Advertising Ltd has broadened its business to include website production, while simultaneously expanding its sales team.

Ecay says it intends to depict the Cayman Islands as a sophisticated and technologically advanced country that can compete on an equal footing with the rest of the global business world.

Other jurisdictions such as Bermuda and Jersey have had a strong web presence for many years because of the value of the Internet and its integral role in economic growth. Globalisation within the marketplace has ensured that business in the 21st Century has to have an Internet presence if it is to succeed. The size and nature of the business does not matter – the ability to showcase and sell goods and services online is now as essential as basic marketing and advertising. 

And business in Cayman is no exception to this online requirement. Internet assimilation tools, such as Ecay, that guide Internet users through the maze of websites that are out there in Cyberspace have played an important role.

The company said that the necessity to assist local Caymanian businesses with the production of a website became apparent early on in the development of Ecay. 

“Due to the overwhelming success of our sales campaign thus far we have had an enormous amount of enquiries from businesses which don’t have websites yet who understand that if they don’t get their business on-line now they will be enabling Cayman residents to source products and services over the internet overseas, thus taking money out of Cayman’s economy and directly out of their pockets,” said Cathy Williams, Co-Producer of Ecay.

In the past it made sense for businesses in the offshore financial industry here in Cayman, who seek business and clients from overseas to have a website, however, now it is important for local business too.

“Once Ecay, is launched on September 1st 2005, with its distribution of 60,000 printed copies and supported by The Cayman Islands’ online portal, www.ecayonline.com is distributed to every single person in the Cayman Islands, we envision the Cayman dollar to be spent at home due the fact that Ecay allows instant access to the Website address of every business in the Cayman Islands,” added Ms Williams.

James Bovell, Co-Owner of Re-max said: “Not having a website in today’s business environment means you’re simply not in business. Having a website is paramount for the communication of my products and services; but also a secondary benefit is the fact that it improves the efficiency of my internal administration which allows my clients instant access to my information, which invariably cuts down on paperwork and simply makes doing business more efficient and cost effective. “

Ecay’s marketing guru, Tony Ashmore said the reasoning behind the further development of Ecay was, “to include website production is to enable small to medium-sized business owners the opportunity to get online, at a price that every company can afford.”

With Internet usage rising among the Cayman populace at a phenomenal rate, the Ecay team said they aim to ensure that every single person in Cayman has access to a copy of the directory. 

Kate Copley, new corporate sales executive explains, “It is our goal to ensure that every home in the Cayman Islands and every person in each business of the Cayman Islands will receive a copy of the Ecay web directory.

“There will be copies distributed among all government offices, hotels, condominiums, as well as accessibility by the cruise ship passengers. We have also extended the reach of the directory internationally so that all Cayman Islands Government offices and tourist offices abroad will have copies, as well as distribution at international conferences where the Cayman Islands have a presence, along with the top law firms in London, New York and Hong Kong, with our online portal Cayman businesses can showcase their products and services to the entire global community.”

Expansion of any product or service requires manpower so Ecay has built on its existing staff base to include an extensive corporate sales team. Commenting on the new recruits to Ecay’s sales team, Hilary McKenzie-Cahill Co-Producer of Ecay said:

“We are delighted to welcome a corporate sales team of such a high caliber to Ecay. Each individual will bring new and fresh dynamism and their wealth of experience will ensure Ecay is the premier ubiquitous tool that will finally put the Cayman Islands online allowing the rest of the world easy access to our unique Islands.”

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