When you want a motorcycle or parts for that motorcycle, where do you go? You fire up your computer and head for the Internet. At least, that is what Jon Seghi hoped when he built his website.

Jon has used the web for years, and has ordered CD's, books, and toys for his two children. He has visited business sites, and played online games. Although not an expert, he had spent enough time online and now felt comfortable in cyberspace.

He decided to "kick up" his motorcycle and parts business a notch or two. With the spirit of an adventurer, he looked into the possibilities of putting his five-year-old company, Midland Motorcycles and Salvage Yard , in Lancaster, California, online.

Located just 60 miles north of Los Angeles and minutes from historic Willow Springs raceway, Midland Motorcycles is unique. You can find new and used motorcycles and accessories but it is also a salvage yard where customers call looking for a particular part for their motorcycles.

Jon knows that offering more services also gets you more customers. "We have a free hotline satellite parts locating service that can access 180 motorcycle shops nationwide. If we can't find it, it probably doesn't exist."

What would make a small business owner take the steps needed to put his business online? There are many reasons. Jon stated, "The timing couldn't have been more perfect. It looked as if everyone had a website. They were doing business in every conceivable product; why not a motorcycle and salvage yard?

He continued: "At first glance it looked like just a way to get a little inexpensive advertising. Our website has been up for six months. I can see the Internet is a whole other way to do business."

While no expert, Jon built his website by myself. "I did a little research on websites online and found an Internet provider that had online development tools that charges $25.00 per month for hosting my website.

"After working on the web page for three hours a day for two weeks it kinda grew into a five-page deal with pictures and a reader's page, links and the whole bit," he added. "It isn't done yet, I don't think it ever will be done. It's a breathing thing; it has a life."

One thing was clear, Jon's desire was fueled by his clear vision of what doing business on the web could mean to him. He stated, "If I didn't get with the times and get on the web, I was going to be behind the times. I knew myself. I wasn't going to like that at all. It was just good business sense. Besides, I didn't want to be fossil fuel. It is the wave of the future."

He bought a digital camera for $400 and a good quality scanner for $250 as part of the price of bringing his business to the web. Along with his associate Tom, they share the duties of taking pictures of the motorcycles and parts that arrive daily, scanning the pictures and then uploading them onto the website. Since Jon built his own website, he also does double duty as the webmaster of his site, stating, "I just figured if I could break down a motorcycle and put it back together, I could certainly design and maintain a website. I work on my website about twice a month now. All it takes is time, focus and a desire to be on the web, but that's it."

With more and more businesses coming online daily, how does a small business owner stand out from the crowd? How do you find new customers, and how do you market your little plot of cyber-real estate?

Words from the movie "Field of Dreams" come to mind: "If you build it, they will come." While this is true, it is only half of the story. Jon didn't just build his site, he realized the importance marketing would play in drawing new customers to his motorcycle business and salvage yard.

It was time now for Jon to put on another hat, marketing and public relations. He submitted his website to all the search engines. "I placed a few banner ads on related sites too. Word of mouth works well. Just tell everyone you know about your website. They will tell friends, and their friends will tell their friends. It all brings in the business."

The results of having a web presence can be dramatic. This is what happened to Midland Motorcycle. "Six months ago I wasn't on the web. With the website in place, it has become 50% of our gross income. I cannot believe how much business that little website has brought to our door. It has been better than I had dreamed. We are moving this month to get more storage space. We are going to have to hire more help," Jon stated.

"Am I in favor of using the Internet for business? Well, let me put it this way," recalled Jon, relating an experience he had in December of 1998.

"We are rapidly becoming a faceless society. People do not want to leave their homes to go shopping anymore. You can order something over the Internet. BANG it's at your door two to three days later.

For the holidays, I shopped on the Internet. I wanted the latest craze, Furbys, for my two children. I found them on December 22nd. I had them in my hands ready to wrap on December 23rd when they were delivered to my door."

The promise of a brighter future for Midland Motorcycles is directly related to their Internet presence. But what about the human factor? Jon said, "I like being able to go about my business day without the interruptions of having to answer the phone all day.

"With the use of email, things get handled at my own pace. For me, it is a more comfortable environment."

If all the "yes" sayers are right, the future of business is on the Internet. "I would like to become a 100% Internet-only shop. It is the wave of the future. But for now I will continue my traditional business, opening the doors every morning and closing them every night.

"And then maybe in a couple of years, I won't be a shopkeeper but instead I'll be the webmaster of my own business, strictly on the web. I look forward to that day."