A few weeks ago, I left a voice mail for my optometrist requesting a call-back to schedule an appointment.

Last week, I left a voice mail and sent an email to an ad agency asking for their new business rep to give me a shout back.

Just yesterday, I sent a couple emails to local lenders requesting info on refinancing my home.

Over 14 million businesses were surveyed.

And of those, only 24% had a website.

That's shocking to me.

I've written before about how small businesses are notorious for trying a new marketing tactic and expecting to see immediate results.

Frustrated, small business owners often abandon their marketing plan before it has a chance to actually resonate with their market.

So it's refreshing to see innovative, new approaches to marketing, done right.

This is Julie.

Julie's a beautician, and a good one at that. Right now, she's creating a Facebook check-in deal for her salon.

She clicks “Save,” looks up from her desk and taps her fingers, expecting new customers to come pouring in.