. . . More about Web sites and purpose

Continuing the discussion of Web sites and purpose begun in the previous tip, we'll look at three additional purposes:

Supplemental information
Companies in transition and companies whose products are constantly changing can make their Web site a means of providing the most current information available to clients and prospective clients. But it's very important for you to have a way of letting them know to go to your Web site to get the current and complete details. Without an integrated marketing plan in place, you'll never realize the full potential of using the Web site for this purpose. For companies in transition, key messages that transcend the change can be used in other more static (print) collateral. And that collateral directs them to the Web site to obtain a more complete perspective on your company, products, or services. Of course, this carries with it a dependency on your client-base having ready access to the Internet and your Web site. And developing substantive and effective messages that transcend the shift in company or product focus poses its own unique challenge!

Lead generation
This is an excellent approach for companies whose products or services make it unrealistic to complete the sales process based on a Web site visit. Clients generally won't make a decision to purchase something that costs thousands of dollars without human interaction--unless it's repeat business, a commodity product/service, or is something of marketwide renown. So, when the sales process is of significant duration or requires human intervention, your site can provide valuable assessment aids in exchange for lead identification (name, address, phone numbers) that will help you complete the next step in the sales process. If the intrinsic value of the aids is great and the information is generally unavailable in the market, you may consider insertion of a lead validation step in the process--before documents are actually transmitted.

Increased sales
We close this discussion with the most generic and idealized purpose any company has for its Web site. The fact that you have a Web site carries with it no assurance of increased sales. In fact, you run a risk of decreasing your sales if your site does not present a professional image or if its currency is not maintained. If you're trying to increase your sales by using the Web, analyze it from several perspectives. Do you expect it to be a self-sufficient and formal sales channel? How does it fit with with other channels? With your overall sales process? Are you trying to create a new channel that might cannibalize a more cost-efficient one? Can you use it to make an existing channel operate more efficiently? Are you willing to make the appropriate investment in site promotion to make it an effective sales channel? Look back at some of the other purposes we've covered and try to pinpoint your real objectives. There are many factors to consider in your analysis. For those of you who understand and believe in the origin and spirit of the Internet, remember that providing useful information with no strings attached helps build community--and might even increase your sales!

If you have another basic Web site purpose you'd like to see discussed in future tips, please submit your suggestion now.

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