According to Mr Antreasyan, prospective customers found you online, chances are that is because they do a lot of their research online — and people who are used to finding businesses on the Web expect information to be accurate and up-to-date.

He says an out-of-date Web page or phone number is a big hint to those people that your business either is not operating or does not care how it comes across online.

“Either way, they probably won’t be very interested in becoming a customer,” Mr Antreasyan said, adding that one recent survey found one-third of searchers give up on a business when they cannot quickly find the information they are looking for.

“To make sure your information is up-to-date, type your business name into a few popular search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo,” he advises. “Make sure your Place Page is correct on Google Local Business Center.”

To find out how to register for an account so that you can correct that information if it is wrong, go to http://google.com/lbc.

“Check your contact information on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp,” Mr Antreasyan suggested. “And while you’re at it, look for reviews for your business on Yelp and a few other user-generated review sites. If somebody’s complaining, address their concerns. If they’re saying something nice, thank them. Reviewers like to know they’re being heard.”

And what about those places on the Internet where you are mentioned and it is not particularly easy to fix the information by yourself?

Mr Antreasyan says find the “contact us” section for the site you need to correct and try writing to them directly.

The more certain you can be that your business is represented consistently and accurately on the Web, the more professional you are going to look.

“And that’s always good for business!” Mr Antreasyan concluded.

For more information, contact Mr Antreasyan at 845-592-2913 or aantreasyan@cmitsolutions.com.