| A recent report done by Yankee Group, a | | | | filled with features that allow members to |
| Boston-based marketresearch company, states that | | | | efficientlyconduct business processes through the |
| at the end of 2004 around 34percent of small and | | | | Internet. A private B2Bexchange is a corporate portal |
| medium sized businesses in North Americaare selling | | | | with a marketplace. It is designedto provide services |
| goods and services on the Internet and another | | | | to the company's own buyers, sellers andworkforce. |
| 25percent is planning to do so within next 12 months. | | | | WEBSITE PLANNING |
| Online salesin the United States represented 8.4 | | | | Before starting to build your website you should first |
| percent of the country's | | | | develop aplan in line with your online objectives, |
| Gross Domestic Product in 2004. This figure is | | | | target audience andresources. You can write your |
| increasinglyrising. This means, if your company is not | | | | plan thoroughly as a storyboard. |
| paying seriousattention to this vital channel of sales | | | | A storyboard is something similar to a flowchart of all |
| and marketing, you aresimply missing the boat. | | | | thewebsite components you deem necessary. Once |
| In its basic form a website is a bundle of pages full | | | | you have a clearpicture of what you are going to |
| of texts,graphics and other electronic files published | | | | build, sit with your developersand create a technical |
| on the Internetfor people to view. How you organize | | | | scope of the project. This is absolutelynecessary! In |
| your website dependstotally on your online goals. | | | | most of the cases your entrepreneurial vision |
| Websites are built for variouspurposes. You can use | | | | willdiffer drastically with the way a programmer look |
| a website as a sales point, a marketingchannel, a | | | | into yourrequirement. |
| corporate image building tool, a branding channel,an | | | | While working on your scope or even after publishing |
| information center, a CRM center, a product launching | | | | your websitebear in mind the following crucial aspects |
| center,and for number of other reasons. When you | | | | of effective websites: |
| plan to build awebsite, you should base your online | | | | Page loading time |
| strategy keeping in mindtwo things: your online | | | | In the euphoria of having a great slick website, often, |
| objectives and your potential audience. | | | | we useimages that make the pages too heavy. A |
| SOME OF THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF | | | | page which takes justone second to load with T1 |
| CORPORATE WEBSITES ARE: | | | | speed will need full 55 seconds toload with a 28.8 |
| Information providing sites | | | | modem. Web surfers are impatient bunch |
| Most of today's sites fall in this category. The | | | | ofclick-happy people; they don't like to wait too long! |
| simplest of themare actually mere reflection of offline | | | | Make sureyou optimize each and every page of your |
| corporate brochures. | | | | website before launchingthe site! Otherwise, you will |
| Promoting company | | | | loose a large portion of yourwould-be visitors for |
| The idea behind some of information-driven sites is | | | | nothing! |
| to givemaximum information related to the company. | | | | - Look at your pages from a visitor's prospective. |
| A holding company,for example, may prefer to have | | | | - Eliminate all images that are not so important to |
| a site like this. These sitesusually include: company | | | | deliver your messages. Optimize the remaining images |
| history, company related news, missionstatement, | | | | with available tools. |
| profiles of key executives, a good FAQ section, etc. | | | | - FLASH images are may be cool, don't use them |
| Graphics are used in these sites only to accentuate | | | | just because they are cool. Use them wisely. |
| the textinformation. However, the sites may include | | | | - Host your website in a server with a good |
| video and FLASHpresentation as well. | | | | bandwidth. |
| Promoting products or services | | | | Navigation |
| A pharmaceutical company to promote its recently | | | | Your website's links should be well-defined, persistent, |
| launchedmedicine may develop a website surrounding | | | | andeasily visible. If the site is large with many pages, |
| the product. Thesole purpose of this type of sites is | | | | you musthave a site map page. Remember that not |
| to create awareness ofspecific products or services. | | | | all visitors will landto your homepage, in order to keep |
| Creating brand awareness | | | | them browsing through yoursite make navigation |
| A manufacturing company that sells its products | | | | from your main landing pages as easy aspossible. Try |
| exclusivelythrough distributing channel may develop a | | | | giving them compelling reasons to do so by |
| website to provideultimate information on the | | | | usingcatchy links. Also, make sure that all your links |
| products and create brand. Thesesites complement | | | | work correctlyand take a visitor to right place. |
| company's offline promotional efforts andalways built | | | | Webpage consistency |
| in consistence with other commercials. | | | | All your web pages should have one consistent look. |
| E-commerce | | | | This willgive your website a professional appearance, |
| Online sales are done through the e-commerce sites. | | | | and visitors whilebrowsing through your site will |
| Maincharacteristics of an e-commerce site include: | | | | always know that they are stillon your website. |
| 1. Detail products or services information with pictures | | | | Content is the king |
| and sometimes with multimedia presentations, | | | | If you want your visitors to return back to your site, |
| drawings, charts, etc. | | | | regularlyadd fresh, relevant and quality content to |
| 2. Shopping cart - so that the buyer can select one | | | | your website. Internetusers are information hungry |
| or several items to purchase. | | | | people, feed them with freshinformation on a regular |
| 3. Payment gateway - so that the buyer can make | | | | basis and you will have good number ofloyal visitors |
| payments for the products or services purchased. | | | | to your website. |
| Corporate portals | | | | If you already have a website make sure you |
| A Website that offers a broad range of resources | | | | optimize your websitefrom user's point of view. |
| and servicessuch as email, forums, company pertinent | | | | According to Gartner, a marketresearch company, |
| news & articles, membersonly area, etc. is | | | | even a minor investment in improving theusability of |
| generally called a portal. Portals areintended to be the | | | | a company website will yield an annual return of |
| gateway for their respective audience. | | | | 10 to 20 per cent. It increases brand awareness, |
| B2B exchange | | | | leads to higheruser adoption rates and possibly more |
| Business to Business Exchange is an online platform | | | | transactions per user. |
| where buyersand sellers come to communicate, | | | | Average order size starts to rise and the site |
| collaborate and make businesstransactions. The main | | | | generates morereturn visits from customers. |
| objective of a B2B Exchange is to createa venue, | | | | |