Put Your Company on the Web
Developed by the Missouri Textile and Apparel
Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, MU Extension. Input provided
by the University of Missouri Extension E-Commerce group.
This publication covers initial questions that businesses or organizations
should ask when considering a Web site. It provides basic guidelines
for setting up a company Web site. These are introductory considerations
and are meant to give you unbiased information so that you can make
good choices and get your Web site on the right track.
Contents
Who needs a World Wide Web site?
- Who buys from the
Internet? Who are your customers?
- What is your competition doing?
- Is your company prepared to handle
increased customer contacts and/or sales?
So you've decided you want a Web presence
- Develop your image
- Brainstorm your domain name
- How big should your Web site be?
- Should you develop your own Web
site?
- Questions to ask when interviewing
a Web site developer
- Have you thought about customer
service?
- You can make these Web site design
elements work for you
- Promote and advertise your Web site
- Register with search engines
Legal issues
- Federal Trade Commission
guidelines
Summary
Glossary of Web terms
Every business, especially those selling to consumers, needs some
kind of World Wide Web presence, even if it is as minor as an electronic
directory listing. The Web is increasingly replacing the phone book
as the place where people look for a company's address, phone number
and other key information. And, it has the advantage of not being
limited to a particular city. In addition, organizations and institutions
that want to reach members and collaborators can have an immediate
wide-reaching presence.
Different purposes for Web sites
- Information only
- Advertising and marketing
- Catalog (sometimes called "brochure ware")
- Full sales or financial transactions
Business to consumer (B2C)
Young, affluent, educated, working Americans, equally divided between
males and females, appear to be the driving force of U.S. Internet
commerce (E-commerce). Over time, Web consumers are becoming older,
the income level is going down, and women and minorities are increasing
their percent of presence. Internet shoppers value convenience and
want as much information and choice as possible. They have faith in
technology, and tend to use the Internet to fulfill an inner need.
Three main groups were there first and are making electronic
commerce work.
The first group is made up generally of white-collar workers,
well educated, with a high income, often in dual-income families.
They are the leading online buyers of every product and the first
to adopt technologies such as cell phones, electronic calendars and
hand-held Internet access devices. They view the use of technology
as a way to get ahead. They are more interested in convenience than
in price.
The second group is family oriented and has an above average
income. They use the Internet to enhance their connections to others.
This group is the backbone of the electronic consumer market.
The third group is made up of entertainment seekers. They
use technology because it is fun. This group generally lives in one-
or two-person households with no children, has a fairly high-income
level and buys on impulse.
If your product appeals to one or more of these groups, you need
to seriously consider having a Web site. It should be designed with
these major markets in mind.
Business to business (B2B)
Your Web site is an opportunity to reach other businesses. Retailers
might be interested in selling your product. Other businesses might
use your products as raw materials for their products or services.
Or, your service might be just what another company needs.
Many large manufacturers conduct business over the Web by using auctions
and/or B2B exchanges. Exchanges let a company post its supply needs
where potential suppliers can respond by posting what they have and
the selling price. The manufacturer can then select a supplier, based
on cost, past experience, reputation, availability and other factors.
These exchanges limit the need for a lot of the paperwork, faxing
and telephone time that purchasing has required in the past. They
also make it possible for buyers and sellers to reach an agreement
much faster. The difficulty is that both buyer and seller must be
members of a given exchange and have the software to access it. For
small companies, the cost can sometimes be prohibitive.
Small companies can use the Internet to find potential suppliers
by doing searches on a product. They can contact the potential supplier
by email — saving both time and money (no "phone tag,"
no phone bill). If you find several potential suppliers, you can compare
their responses before making your buying decision. Some of these
suppliers may also have the option for you to purchase online. Another
possibility might be for you to cooperate with other small business
to buy your supplies together, and take advantage of volume discounts.
It is also possible that you could find potential buyers for your
product or service by doing Internet searches. If you find a company
that sells your product, they are potential buyers of your product.
Go "surfing." Search for the competition's Web sites using
both names and categories. What kinds of Web sites do your competitors
have? Think like a customer. How do your competitor's pages appear
to you? Would you spend time there? Can you find what you are looking
for there? Would you go back a second and third time? What type and
amount of information to they include? How do they handle orders?
What will you do if your Web site is a success? Do you have
or can you make/acquire enough product to fill many orders in a timely
manner? Are your fulfillment procedures in place or do you want to
hire a fulfillment company? Do you have a return policy and what will
you do with returned product? (There are now companies who specialize
in handling returns for companies. Also, UPS and FedEx are partnering
with companies to facilitate returns.)
If your company already has a recognizable image, adapt it for your
Web pages. Remember that print materials must be simplified for use
on the Web. Decide on your colors and limit the number of colors you
use (unless your customers are children or teen-agers).
This is an area where professional expertise could be a valuable
investment. Attention to image will give customers the appropriate
impression about your company and will help establish your credibility
and value in their minds. Once established, your image will speak
volumes for you and about you.
Don't procrastinate. Registration is inexpensive ($35 per year is
reasonable) and easy. As soon as you think you're headed for a Web
site, put everybody in the company on the task of coming up with the
perfect name for your company's site. Your domain name is your identity.
If people know your company by its name, then use it! It should be
something that people can easily associate with your company and can
remember. Don't make it too "cute." Also consider your image and any
brands when you select a domain name.
Check to be sure that it hasn't already been taken, and then register
it. You can register more than one name — if you're not sure
what you want to use and/or if you want to own variations on your
chosen name. Register any and all names that you can afford, so you
don't take a chance that someone else will come along and register
the name you have chosen. Registration can be done on the Internet
through various sites that specialize in this process — simply
do a search under ";domain name registration." Checkdomain.com is
a Web site that allows users to find out whether a domain name is
registered or still available.
Decide how much you want to do at the beginning and make a plan for
enhancing your Web site over time. Your site can develop from an information
center telling about your company and your product, to a catalog with
telephone and fax ordering, to a full selling site taking credit card
payments. You can look at this process as a series of phases that
often overlap.
Phase 1: Connecting to the Internet
In Phase 1, a company connects to the internet, and it's employees
have e-mail and access to the World Wide Web. In this phase, busineses
may source and purchase supplies over the Internet. The company may
also have a simple Web site showing some of their products and giving
contact information.
Phase 2: Maintaining an active and purposeful
Web site
In Phase 2, the company maintains an active Web site. Customers can
view pictures and descriptions of the company products. The site includes
some interactive customer support such as an e-mail link and is regularly
updated. An FAQ (frequently asked questions) page might fit into this
phase. Phone or fax ordering could also be added.
Phase 3: Buying and/or selling on the Internet
Somewhere between phases 2 and 3, the company should have a full
catalog of product offerings and mechanisms for customers to order
merchandise on line. More sophisticated Web sites include such features
as instant feedback on out of stock items, instant feedback on orders
received, e-mail notification of shipping and estimated arrival times.
This Web site might also have interactive customer support such as
e-mail with immediate responses, online telephone connection, and
other types of customer support, such as newsletters, mailing lists,
etc.
Phase 4: Integrating your core business
operations with the Internet
Phase 4 includes full customer relationship management and back-end
integration. Everything related to buying and selling is computer
managed.
Consider your company's resources for developing a Web site in terms
of:
- Time
- Expertise
- Maintenance and updates
- Cost
Decide whether doing your own Web site is an efficient use of your
time or that of your staff. Is there someone on your staff who is
experienced enough to design and/or put up your Web site quickly and
accurately? Web site development and maintenance involves technical
expertise and is an art. You may find that it costs less than you
think to hire an experienced firm to develop your Web site for you.
Remember, your Web site will be the first impression for many potential
customers. You don't want to risk turning them off just to save a
few dimes.
Think about what you want your site to do before visiting a developer.
Interview potential Web site developers to be sure they will do the
job that you want done. See the checklist of questions to ask a potential
Web site developer, on page 4. If you have specific needs, be sure
to discuss them with the Web site developers you interview. No matter
how good they are, no matter how well recommended they come, if they
can't or won't do what you want, they are not right for you.
- What services do they provide:
Image development, design, hosting, other?
- What about maintenance?
Can you do your own updating or do you have to go back to the company?
Are there additional charges for upgrades? Who will own the Web
site when it is completed? Who will own the domain name?
- What are the hourly rates?
Normal rates are about $60 to $150 per hour. Rates may vary greatly
between rural and metropolitan areas.
- Look at the developer's Web site.
Does it provide useful information? Is it attractive? Is it easy
to navigate? Do you like it?
- Ask about the people in the company.
Who is on the staff? What is their expertise? Who does what? Is
the staff stable and consistent? Is the owner available to you?
If much of the staff is part time, are they there on a permanent
basis? If there is a lot of turnover among staff members, you may
end up with more than one person working on your Web site.
- Ask for references from current and former customers.
Get the names of former customers and find out from them if they
had a positive experience. Would they recommend the company? Would
they go back to the company? Look at their Web sites. Do you like
them?
- Ask how much your Web site development will cost. Is the initial
consultation free?
This consultation should begin with a dialog about what you want
your Web site to do and what features you will want. If they give
you an estimate without knowing what you want, they are probably
not taking your needs into consideration. If they just say, "It
depends," they can charge you anything they want.
- Does the developer question you about your customers?
Does the developer ask you what your customers need and expect?
Is he or she interested in how your products/services are currently
marketed or sold? A good Web developer knows your Web site must
be personal to your company and work for your customers.
- Who will provide the content and graphics for your site?
Will the company help you with wording (if you want help) and develop
original art for you? Is there an additional cost for this?
- Will the developer help you test your Web site and make corrections?
- Can the developer host the site if you want them to?
How much will hosting the site cost? Ask them about other options
for hosting the site.
- Will the developer help you with gathering statistics on visits
to your Web site?
Will they help you to understand what the statistics mean? Are there
additional charges for these services?
- What will happen to your Web site if the developer goes out
of business?
- If you decide to use this developer, what are the next steps?
- Can you get advice from the developer about legal issues?
Thanks to J. Michael Roach, of IDP Group (www.idpgroup.com),
and Linda Carlton, of Effectual Web Design (www.effectualweb.com),
for their input.
Customer service possibilities
- Clear and detailed product information
(descriptions, photos, sizes, prices, quantities, etc.)
- Quick and easy-to-follow navigation
- E-mail (answered within 24 hours)
- Free or reduced-rate shipping
- Returns to store accepted and /or free
return postage
- Clear security and privacy policies that
protect the customer
- Store location directory
- Product availability information
- Order tracking
- Personal greeter
- Product/trend advice
- Internet telephone capability
- Auxiliary related information
- FAQ (frequently asked questions)
- Wish list
- Call center
- Gifts with purchase, online coupons and
incentives
- Mass customization
- 3D modeling
|
On-line customers like to have it all. They have high expectations
about how your Web site should work and look, as well as what they
can find there. Can you provide them with the service they expect?
Gear your Web site to your customers' needs. Start small and work
your way up to more advanced functions.
There are many customer service options. Check out other Web sites
(especially your competition) to see what they include and how they
work. Do the features they offer add value to the site?
Some of these options are complicated and probably not for beginners.
The person or company that develops your Web site will be able to
talk with you about these options and help you decide which ones you
want immediately, what can wait, and which are necessary to meet the
goals of your Web site.
You can make these Web site design elements work
for you.
- Begin with a great, strong home page that will draw viewers in.
- Each page should have a title that tells what is on it.
- Repeat your brand image (logo) on every page and always in the
same place and color.
- Put links on your pages so that customers can go directly where
they want to go. No information should be farther than three clicks
away. Always put the links in the same place and in the same order.
Graphic links should be repeated in text form.
- Include your telephone number, an e-mail link, and your e-mail
address, spelled out — and make them easy to find.
- Update your pages regularly, just as you would a storefront window.
You can train your customers to look for updates on a regular basis
— e.g., weekly or on the 1st and 15th of the month. Offer an
incentive for them to return and check out your updates — a
new featured product, a sale special or a perk (free or reduced
price shipping, a gift, a coupon, etc.) each time.
- Be sure that all your information is relevant, accurate and complete.
Be absolutely sure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.
- Be sure that everything on your Web site works. Web site customers
are frustrated easily and don't like dead ends or confusion. Remember,
the competition is just a click away! When customers go to sites
that take too long to load, or are too complicated, i.e. unclear
ordering instructions, lack of details, or rejection of credit cards,
they tend to abandon your site. (Your Web site traffic report can
help you determine if this is a problem on your site.)
- Include a feedback section (possibly with a survey). Provide a
place for name and e-mail address, but don't require it.
- Make the text large enough to read on normal computer settings.
- Use good contrast between the background and the text. Remember
that black backgrounds will not print from all computers and that
some computers will read colors differently from the way you designed
them.
- Background patterns can clutter your site, or can even make people
dizzy.
- Include a "text only" option for computers that cannot load graphics
or are very slow.
- Design your pages with lots of "white," or open space.
- Print all your pages to be sure that they print. Then print them
from a computer at your public library or a public school. Have
your kids or the neighborhood kids and their friends explore your
site and report back to you.
Promote your Web site on ALL your print materials, including your
stationery, business cards and print advertising.
- Trade links with non-competing related Web sites.
- Use Web-banner advertising sparingly.
- If you can afford it, use magazine ads or a newsletter to reach
your target market.
- E-mail known, interested customers. Do NOT send spam e-mail. Always
include a way for e-mail recipients to be removed from your list
("opt out") and honor all such requests.
Search engines respond to key words entered by the user and provide
a list of Web sites with that word appearing in the area that the
search engine looks in. There are three types of search engines. The
first is a directory that provides a listing of Web pages by category.
To be listed with these types of search engines, you must register
with them. They may allow you to give the description and keywords
as you want them to appear.
True search engines automatically index your site using indexing
software or "robots." Every search engine has different criteria for
returning search results. If you know what their criteria are, you
can influence how your site will be ranked in the search results.
Meta search engines look through multiple search engines simultaneously
and a ranking for your keywords results from how many times it encounters
the keyword in the search engines it uses.
The individual Web sites of the search engines will give you information
about their requirements and your Web site developer should be able
to give you further tips on submitting your URL and your keywords.
A marketing Web site that has useful information on this and other
topics is www.marketingtips.com.
There are several legal issues that you should be aware of when you
sell products or services over the Internet. One issue of great concern
to many consumers is Privacy and Security.
Consumers continue to express concern for their personal information
on the Internet. A large number of customers will not purchase anything
from the Web because they are afraid that their credit card numbers
or other personal information will be stolen. While this rarely happens,
there have been well-publicized instances of this happening, and their
fears cannot be simply dismissed. Check some existing Web sites and
see how they address the security and privacy issue.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulation on Privacy and Security
is discussed briefly below. In addition, when you
begin selling over the Internet, the security of credit card numbers
and other personal information becomes even more of a concern. Your
web developer should be able to help you make your website secure
and safe for your customers.
Other issues include copyrights, your obligation to fill and ship
orders in a timely manner, chargebacks resulting from customers using
bad or stolen credit cards, handling returns and refunds, electronic
signatures, smart cards and sales tax. Because the Internet as a business
vehicle is still relatively new, Congress is debating ways to deal
with many of these issues. It might be a good idea to consult an attorney
to review potential problems prior to launching your Web site.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has developed a series of reports,
guidelines and model codes that represent "widely-accepted principles
concerning fair information practices." (FTC Web site).
The five core principles of privacy protection are:
- notice/awareness;
- choice/consent;
- access/participation;
- integrity/security; and
- enforcement/redress.
There is extensive information about this and other consumer privacy
issues posted on their Web site (www.ftc.gov).
What follows is a very brief summary of these five principles.
- Notice/awareness
Consumers should be given notice of what a given Web site intends
to do about collecting information including:
- who is collecting the data;
- how the data will be used;
- potential recipients of the data;
- the kind of data that are collected;
- the means by which it will be collected;
- whether providing the data is voluntary or required; and
- the steps being taken to ensure confidentiality.
- Choice/consent
Consumers should be given options about how their personal information
will be used beyond the need to complete the intended transaction.
The two traditional types of choice are opt-in and opt-out. With
the opt-in option, consumers give permission for the collection
and/or use of their data. With the opt-out option, consumers must
take steps to prevent the collection and/or use of their data. The
difference is which option is the default.
- Access/participation
The consumer should have the ability to access the data about him
or herself (that is, view the files) and to contest the accuracy
and completeness of that data.
- Integrity/security
The data must be accurate and secure. Data collectors must take
reasonable steps to insure that it is.
- Enforcement/redress
To be effective, there must be a mechanism in place to enforce these
principles. Among the alternative enforcement approaches are industry
self-regulation; legislation that would enable consumers to sue;
and/or government regulation making violation of privacy codes a
civil and/or criminal action.
The topic of consumer rights-to-privacy vs. commercial collection
of information for such uses as targeted advertising is hotly debated
at all levels of internet use. Only time will tell whether the industry
will be able to self-regulate to the satisfaction of those concerned
or regulating agencies will have to pass laws and impose sanctions.
Essentially every business needs a Web presence. How complex your
Web site will be depends on your purpose for having a Web site and
the resources you can and are willing to devote to your Web site.
If your intention is to provide a directory listing for your current
and potential customers and/or your resources are very limited, a
Web site giving your company information, including address, phone
number and e-mail address may be all that you can begin with.
A deeper commitment of resources could allow you to provide pictures
and descriptions of some, most or all of your products.
The next level of commitment is to sell products/services from your
Web site. This will require you to accept credit cards and/or consider
electronic signatures, gift cards, participation in electronic shopping
malls and other methods for exchanging money through the Web. You
must also be prepared with fulfillment capability for fast and efficient
delivery of items purchased, and methods for handling returns and
refunds.
Some companies that sell through major retail establishments do not
want to do direct sales on line because their retailers consider this
to be direct competition with their sales. In this case, you would
want to put an up-to-date store location directory on your Web site.
Whatever level of Web site you start with, look to upgrading as soon
and as often as possible. Keep your information up to date and change
it often so that customers have a reason to keep coming back.
Get feedback from your friends and customers about your Web site.
If they tell you that it is hard to navigate or read, then you and/or
your site developer have work to do.
Marketing your Web site is key to your success. Put your Web address
on everything that is associated with your business — your cards,
stationery, brochures, and in all your advertising.
Make your Web site an integral part of your business plan, not something
separate and apart. Whenever you have a promotion or launch a new
product, your Web site should be a part of the campaign.
The Web has created a whole new vocabulary that can be very confusing.
One of several Web sites that give definitions of Web-related terms
is www.Webopedia.com.
A few common terms and some that are used in this publication are
listed below.
Affiliate programs: an agreement between two or more companies
to promote each other's related, but not competing, products or services.
Each company places a link on its page to the affiliate's page and usually
gets a percentage of sales resulting from cross-hits.
Banner advertising: the boxes that appear (usually at the top
of a Web page) advertising a company. When the advertising is targeted,
the banners refer to a related (but not competing) product or service,
e.g., a company that sells golf equipment might put a banner ad on
a page from a company that sells golf clothing or a golf resort page.
Targeted advertising appears to be effective, while random banner
ads are seen by consumers as mostly annoying. In some cases, banner
advertising is the way a Web site is paid for.
Browser: software programs, such as Internet Explorer and Netscape,
that retrieve, display, and print information and HTML documents through
the WWW.
B2B (Business to business): transactions conducted between businesses.
B2C (Business to consumer): transactions conducted between businesses
and individual consumers.
Clicks and mortar: a retail business operating a physical store
(mortar) and an Internet Web site (clicks). Also: clicks and bricks.
Domain name: the unique name that identifies the internet site.
(See also, URL)
EC (Electronic or e-commerce): involving use of a computer and
the Internet to conduct business.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): the exchange of documents,
such as purchase orders and invoices, between businesses, electronically,
in a standardized format.
E-mail (Electronic mail): messages sent from one person to another
or a group via the computer.
Encryption: a coding system used to ensure the security of information
on the Internet. A decoding system is required to read the information.
Hit: a single request from a Web browser for a single item (file)
from a Web server. A counter would register four hits to display a
page with three graphics - one for the page and one for each graphic.
Internet: a collection of interconnected computer networks around
the world. The vehicle through which e-mail and the World Wide Web
operate.
Intranet: an internal network of computers accessible only to
selected users. Many companies have an intranet available only to
employees.
ISP (Internet service provider): a company that provides connections
to the Internet for a fee, e.g., AT&T, AOL, Socket.
Pure play: a company using the Internet as its only channel to
conduct business (no physical stores or paper catalogs).
Server: A computer or device on a network that manages network
resources. For example, a file server is a computer and storage device
dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files
on the server. A print server is a computer that manages one or more
printers, and a network server is a computer that manages network
traffic. A database server is a computer system that processes database
queries.
Site: the virtual location on the WWW, usually made up of a home
page and several Web pages, designated by a unique URL. (See also,
Web site.)
Spam: junk e-mail, usually advertising, sent via e-mail, without
the permission of the recipient.
Surfing: to move from place to place on the Internet searching
for topics of interest. Generally used to describe a rather undirected
type of Web browsing in which the user jumps from page to page rather
whimsically, as opposed to specifically searching for specific information.
URL (Uniform resource locator): internet address or web address.
An address, consisting of a prefix, domain and suffix. The main level
is the type/country designator and is on the right (.com; .org; .edu;
net; gov); the second level is on the left and designates a specific
computer network (www); the sub domain is the individual name of the
Web site and is in the middle (abc). For example: www.abc.com
Web site: a site (location) on the World Wide Web.. Each Web site
contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they
enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and
files. Each site is owned and managed by an individual, company or
organization.
WWW (World Wide Web, or Web): a utility on the Internet, made
up of home pages with links to other pages.
NOTE: This guide is also available in print format. To
order, request MP750, Put Your Company on the Web ($1.50). This
guide is also available in Portable
Document Format. 
[1,295k]
Acknowledgments:
Developed by the Missouri Textile and Apparel Center, University
of Missouri-Columbia, MU Extension. Input provided by the University
of Missouri Extension E-Commerce group
Authored by: Sharon Stevens and Susan Henson,
Missouri Textile and Apparel Center (MO-TAC),
University of Missouri, 573-882-6430
Copyright
© 2001 University of Missouri. Published by University
Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia.
Date Reviewed: 2/15/03
