The Best of Brochureware Basics

First Foray onto the Web... The development advisory firm I share offices with in Annapolis, OA Partners, approached me recently regarding the basics for building a company web site. It got me thinking. There must be hundreds of boutique to mid-sized real estate firms still out there in the same spot -- contemplating their first online venture. So what are some of the most important tips to consider when building basic brochureware?

Step one is creating a company web site that is conceived from the customer's viewpoint rather than making it an extension of your organization. A mirror of your company's business structure won't function intuitively. Instead, visualize what kind of content is useful to your customers. They want a clear statement about what services you provide -- where you provide them, why you offer a compelling competitive advantage and whether your firm has existing clients like them. The home page should provide a fast snapshot to these questions without requiring further navigation.

Basic corporate contact information should be displayed from every page. More detailed executive / management team profiles should be one click from the home page -- with small photographs, short biographies, titles and direct e-mail contact links as well as direct dial telephone numbers. Make it easy for your clients to reach the person they really want to talk with. Personnel photographs go a long way towards building trust with your prospective visitor.

Keep in mind that your audience wants the abbreviated version. Distill your company history and mission statement into a few short paragraphs. While images can be worth a thousand words -- make sure your graphics load in two seconds or less and are sized small enough to avoid endless page scrolling. Pointless sound and animation that often require plug-ins deter repeat traffic. Commit to frequent data maintenance! Add new projects, clients and press releases weekly. Make personnel changes immediately.

Most of all, remember that the web is a powerful two-way medium. Encourage your visitors to start a conversation, ask a question, or have a means to access related content to your company. Meaningful links on your web site can be a bonus reason for encouraging a return.

--Eileen Circo