1. Set up a Clear Strategy

It sounds simple but a lot of sites don’t have a strategy. There are other people and departments that have not even been considered:

• Marketing
• Sales
• Customer Service
• Human Resources
• Purchasing
• Credit
• Manufacturing
• Warehouse and shipping
• Reception and clerical staff

You may wonder, what does a warehouseman or receptionist have to do with our web site. How many times a day do you think someone may call your 800 number for directions?

2. Determine what kind of content you may want to create

Think about your content, whether you’ve really given a detailed look at the product showing pictures providing corollary information. Do you answer the questions that users will have?

• How is it used?
• How does it work best?
• What advantages and benefits does it have over similar products?
• How is it ordered? (Packaging, Lotting, etc.)
• How long does it take to get?
• What forms of payment do you accept? (Do accounts need to be set up for Purchase Orders)
• Warehousing and Shipping.
• Reception and Clerical Staff.

3. Design a Site

An effective site contains plenty of solid, useful information—not just on products, but on related topics as well. But beware of state-of-the-art effects. You want to include a few graphics, of course, but make sure they download quickly and easily. As for audio and video, remember that unless you’re dealing with corporate customers, most users won’t have the capability to see the clips in all their intended glory—and many will leave long before they even show up on the screen. Most people find many of the "bells and whistles" quite annoying.

4. Make sure customers and prospects know your site exists

Register your site with the popular search engines Think carefully about your "keywords" and what else a user may select in an attempt to find you or your competitors. There are many tricks to designing your pages so that search engine robots can find you. Put your URL on anything that you print or otherwise send to your existing customers.

5. Advertise on the Web.

You can purchase banner space on other sites in your industry or on information sites. An ad banner can cost you between $20 and $350 per 1,000 hits.

6. Make sure your site is well maintained.

Dated material is an eye soar on the net. Who will pick up your E-mail. Who will respond to it, and when? Consider breaking this up into the departmental users but have an overall manager. Remember, many of the users believe there is someone right behind the site. You will sort of advertise, don’t call me on my 800 number, send me an E-mail. If you never answer your E-mail, why should he or she send it?

 

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 Revised: August 30, 2005.