Over 90% of the web design related needs of small businesses can now be satisfied by open source products (such as the Joomla content management system) which are free, relatively quick to configure and easy to use. Many small business owners already have content in the form of print media to populate a site but do not know how to leverage the web as their most measureable and effective form of marketing.

There are two traditional models prevalent through the industry that Yardstick is positioning itself against - hourly web designers and fixed contracts. Both traditional models of website design have their pros and cons with respect to time, scope, quality, and cost. Yardstick has seen first hand the challenges that Vancouver business owners have with an hourly website designer who runs-up costs while not allowing enough flexibility and input. Fixed contracts, on the other hand, are specifically designed to control costs. Unfortunately for small business owners, this requires a huge drain on cash flow to support unnecessarily high margins. And with both of these web design models, you may end up spending thousands of dollars only to get a website that goes stale the minute it is launched.