"What's Up e-Doc?"

We can all agree that there are more bad small-company websites than there are good ones. The reason for this stems from the fact that the business community continues to be misled in this endeavor. The "Dot-Com" experts continue to hand out the same poor advice they were selling before the bust. There are two fundamental points considered sacred by these technical geniuses: First, all we need is the correct configuration, and the service-seekers will find us on the web like a "heat-seeking missile". Second, only professional web designers know how to unlock the secrets to website success (and usually at considerable cost). It is time the truth came out! The bust of the "dot-coms" proved their theories incorrect. Effective communication is fundamental to business success, and the availability of the Internet is a great tool when used properly. When your website is used effectively, you will get your message out to the world efficiently and at a reasonable cost.

Here are five criteria we have implemented to make our website productive:

1. Align the message. The message you would convey to a prospective customer face-to-face should be the same message you convey on your website. There is no need to give away the store, nor is it necessary to have volumes of prose. Less is better than more, and simple is better than complex. In Doug Hall's most current book Masterful Marketing, Doug tells us to keep our message on a fifth-grade level. This is true when making a face-to-face sales presentation, and it is also true for your website. The website message does not have to be entirely "stand-alone". Ideally, the site is laid out in such a way that a visitor will have a good understanding of the service you offer, yet phone contact is necessary to amplify the key points and fill in important details. The ultimate litmus test for the effectiveness of your website message is your ability to close the sale over the phone as you guide the prospective client through your site.
2. Use practical words and images that fit the message. Avoid flash! If you paid your web designer extra for this you wasted your money. Flash is more likely to bring negative attention to your company than positive attention. The flash on your website might make you feel good, but it won't grow your business. If you are using flash, get rid of it! Practical words and images communicating a clear and honest message explaining what you do, how you are different from your competitors, why you are better than your competitors are all you need to create a successful website. Forget the flash, it annoys those who come to your site seeking information. Serious visitors want information, not entertainment!
3. Use the site as a company communication tool. Your site should be used regularly for communication to both prospective and existing clients as well as to future and existing employees. So long as you effectively communicate with these two audiences, you have an effective website. Printed brochures do not bring you new business! The "marketing experts" will tell you otherwise. The truth is that the best looking brochure-- with well-thought out psychology communicating your message-- will do little more than make you feel good and cost you a great deal of money. Take note at the next business expo you attend. Just look at those expensive four-color marketing pieces exhibitors are shoving in your hand as you walk by or visit a booth. Is this going to make you buy their product or service? I suspect not. You will likely throw it away like everyone else. These materials belong on the website. When someone asks you to send them information about your company simply say, "I will be happy to do that. What is your email address?" Then send them a link to the key page(s) on your site. If they refuse to give you an email address, they probably are not serious about your service anyway. In this case, send them a one-page letter and move on.
4. Keep the information up-to-date. The information must be updated daily and weekly as needed. Like any other communication media, the information presented is evolutionary and requires constant update. This is where your website out shines your fancy printed collateral. Once situations change that require updating, printed materials must be redone at considerable cost. The website can be changed with a few keystrokes. I have a business associate who spent tens of thousands of dollars on nicely coordinated marketing materials in northern Kentucky, just before the telephone area code changed. Lesson learned. By the way, the EDOCService website is far from perfect. Critique, feedback and suggestions are always welcome.
5. Take full control of your website. Now here is the kicker, and the most important element. You must be in full control of your website. This responsibility cannot be abdicated! If you do not have a person in-house maintaining your site, or if you cannot afford one, take control yourself. Our web designer instructed me to do this, and even sat down to guide me when I was stuck. You do not have to become an expert in web design or spend thousands of dollars (and hours) in training to do this. Simply purchase Dreamweaver or some other web design package and take an introductory course. I took a home-study course offered by Barnes and Noble that got me up to speed (an hour or so each day for a week). Miami University offers a basic Dreamweaver course for $99.00. Working with Dreamweaver is no more difficult than working with MS Word. It is just a little different because HTML is a little strange and takes getting used to. Use your web designer for high-level expertise; take control of the day-to-day level yourself. You will be glad you did.

One of our company guidelines is to avoid listening to the experts. We just do what works. If we ever become true marketing experts, fire us!

Jim Mullaney is President/CEO of EDOCService, Inc. He can be reached at
(513) 829-7101, or e-mail him at Jim@edocservice.com. The EDOCService website can be found at www.edocservice.com.