SPECIFICS OF A "BROCHURE-STYLE" WEB SITE

Home Page: This is the welcome area and needs to include a quick overview of your site, providing quick navigation to all areas of the site so that a visitor can quickly jump to the area most likely to include the information for which they came looking. You might also consider showing a picture of your storefront on the home page, or you might just save it for your Location page.

Products & Services Page: This ought to be easy for you. Tell people what you do...what you can offer them...and (very important!) your USP - Unique Selling Proposition: What do you do that sets you apart from your competition. Be concise, but provide good information. Avoid "shop talk" where it's unnecessary, but make sure you tell people what they are going to be curious to hear.

Satisfied Customer Testimonials: This can be a judgment call. Some folks are loathe to reveal the identity of their customers...knowing that it can end up in the hands of the competition. On the other hand, nothing builds credibility like a satisifed customer...especially if it's someone who is recognizable to your potential customer. In most cases, it's probably worth the risk.

About Us: Share the history of your company. Why did you come to be in the first place? How long have you been around? And, this is a great place to include your company's mission statement.

Our People: Share the names, head shots (pictures) and bios of your company's "key players". This kind of thing is very important to "put some skin on" your company in the eyes of your web site visitors.

Location/Directions: If you're trying to get people through your doors (the brick-and-mortar ones this time...), let them know where those doors are located! Written directions from major arteries and landmarks are a minimum...better yet, embed a map from Google Maps or Yahoo Maps on your page...so that folks can find their own way! And whether or not you had a picture of your storefront on the Home Page, you must have one here. Keep in mind, not everyone will enter your site through the front door (so to speak)! And...be sure to include your hours of operation here as well.

Contact Us: The page needs to include a contact phone number, possibly a fax number...and without question, an email address that you actually use and from which you will respond! Let's face it, giving folks an opportunity to reach you via email and then not answering them is just going to make them angry. Is that really the message you want to send?

FAQ: One of the benefits that web sites offer over traditional brochures (especially the ones that consisted of folded 8.5x11" sheets of paper!) is lots of "breathing room". This available space has led to the creation and popularity of FAQ pages...which stands for Frequently Asked Questions. Used properly, this can be an excellent business resource. Spend a little time reflecting on the questions people actually ask you about your business (i.e., "do you accept credit cards?", "do you service brands you don't sell?", "do you offer a money-back guarantee?", "who do I talk to if I have a problem?"). Take some time and address these topics thoroughly. Not only will they result in increased customer satisfaction, but they can end up saving you a lot of time! Also, you might use this page to express a little of your personality, if it seems appropriate (more likely for smaller businesses).