my personal view is that people don't really look at your webiste that closely but just choose a company that appleals to them from the first page of google.
Richard,
My experience is the complete opposite. People do read everything if they are interested in the subject.
Here's a couple of comments to a friend's site this week.
1/ "Dear xxxxxxxx
Have just been on to your web site. Very impressed. It guides the "novice" very nicely through the issues. The result: this e mail!"
2/ "Hello. Your web site has so much information, I couldn't find what area of
the country you work in."
We'll have to add a bit more info after the last comment
Websites do a lot of pre selling or filtering out people automatically. They are also a non threatening way for people to get information without the worry of talking to a high pressure salesperson.
In answer to the original post. Websites are vital but don't stop doing the other marketing as well.
Garry
