Critical Elements

Regardless of how detailed or simple your online efforts, in an online environment, the following five elements are critical. Each must be measured in relation to your business vision:

• Presentation – Must communicate clearly and be graphically “clean” so that it sells the right image
  
  
• Presence – Easy to find, easy to identify, easy to navigate
  
  
• Product – You need a product for your online presence. But can the site visitor tell what that product is? Is it a particular “thing”? Or is it service?  Or is it the privilege of getting to know you, the owner?
  
  
• Customer Service – What have you done to enhance the customer’s involvement with the product – or to provide information and complaint resolution?
  
  
• Speed – Does your site load fast enough? Can you respond to questions or requests fast enough to survive on “Internet time”?

• I want to generate 5% more sales that are directly traceable to this Web site.
  
  
• I want to increase the number of people in our geographic community who receive ongoing communications from us.
  
  
• I want at least two online contacts per year with each of our “good” customers…hopefully with product referrals that encourage additional purchases.