What Web Sites are Good For

Web sites are good for many things, but they are not particularly good as advertising. It is, however, good for branding. Branding online includes traditional ways of communicating - images, slogans,language, but it also includes user experience. Make sure your visitor's web experience is in line with your brand. A poor experience will tarnish your brand. It is a place to communicate with customers and to deepen, improve your relationships.

WEB SITES ARE GOOD FOR:

Information Communications, Sales & Relationship Development

1. Information Communications
   1. Archives/ Publishing
      1. Corporate history
      2. articles
      3. e-zines
      4. press releases
      5. resumes
      6. FAQs
      7. white papers
      8. Examples of Work (Writing, Art (photo, painting), web design, other)
   2. Archives: Publicly available materials and/or limited availability materials
      1. Press Releases, Annual Reports, Public Policy Statements, Stock Performances, Prospectuses,
      2. Price Lists (wholesale might be password protected),
   3. Resource
      1. Academic, scientific, FAQs, make your company the expert (Goodyear tires as Industry
      2. Resource; Access-Health for health info), Education, Library (research, links), arts, ++
   
   
2. Sales
   1. Off-line, on-line
   2. Storefront, catalogue, individual items, information services
   3. Schedules (writers/ PR/ speeches)
   
   
3. Relationship Development
   1. Customer Relations
      1. on-line tech help
      2. email support
      3. on-line customer service
      4. off-line info numbers and addresses
      5. database management/ enhancement
   2. Community Relations
      1. Special Reports (Studies, Analyses, and Results)
      2. A place for comments
      3. PR
   3. Collaborations
      1. Exchange ideas
      2. Text, whiteboards, chats, video-conferencing
      3. Develop and maintain email lists, chat rooms, etc.
      4. Post & edit articles, images
   
   
4. InterNet, IntraNet, ExtraNet
   1. InterNet — Global reach
   2. IntraNets: Employee Contact and/or interaction
      (have often been difficult and arcane)
      1. doing business
      2. Employee benefits
      3. Personnel information
      4. Suggestion box
      5. Phone book/ addresses
      6. Travel Services
   3. ExtraNets — Company defined InterNet with secure areas for chosen alliances (such as vendors and buyers)
      1. ordering, tracking, billing, service
      2. chat rooms
   
   
5. Branding
   1. Build and/or enhance reputation
   2. hot site, with-it technology, world-wide presence ++