| These days everyone's talking about SEM, SEO, | | | | themselves from the competition. Or they have a |
| social networking, mobile apps, blogs and lots of | | | | complex product or service that needs to be |
| other online marketing techniques. Many of these | | | | rapidly explained to their market. |
| are effective and worthwhile, but if you're starting | | | | Example: Enobia Pharma, Inc. ( is a venture |
| a new business, don't have a lot of money to | | | | capital-backed biotechnology firm that develops |
| spend, have a small staff or are generally in a | | | | therapies to treat serious genetic bone disorders |
| rush, you need to focus on the basics before you | | | | for which there are no approved treatments. |
| tackle more advanced techniques.* | | | | That means their stuff is really complicated! Since |
| Here are the four basics for every new | | | | their lead product is targeted to a rare bone |
| marketing website: | | | | disease, they show x-rays of bones, their science |
| 1. Tell your story quickly. | | | | team and crystaline structures on their homepage |
| 2. Update regularly. | | | | - these images mean something to their market. |
| 3. Collect contact information. | | | | And, although the images don't tell the full story, |
| 4. Start measuring. | | | | they give enough information to put visitors at |
| Back in the late 20th century, web designers | | | | ease and feel comfortable about clicking further |
| coined the term "brochure-ware" to describe | | | | into the site. |
| corporate marketing websites. It was used to | | | | Technique B - Tell Stories - Azure Capital |
| describe websites that were boring, lifeless and | | | | Case studies, client success stories, news - these |
| essentially served no real purpose. The phrase | | | | are all great ways to show, rather than tell, what |
| "brochure-ware" meant the website "didn't do | | | | your company really does. In other words, "the |
| anything.". | | | | proof is in the pudding." |
| But the truth is your company's first corporate | | | | Here's an example: which do you think more |
| marketing website will be "brochure-ware," and it | | | | effectively tells your company's story?a) An |
| will serve an extremely important role in your | | | | "About Us" page which says: "We're a fantastic |
| company's marketing and sales efforts - it will be | | | | company. We're client focused and deliver |
| the most effective way of telling your company's | | | | results."b) A homepage with a news item on it |
| story, establishing your brand, collecting sales leads | | | | that reads: "Our client saved $1 million using our |
| and setting a baseline to measure all future | | | | services. Date: last month." |
| initiatives against. | | | | The answer is b), of course. The news item |
| This article is the first of a four-part series that | | | | shows that your company provides a real benefit |
| shows how you can do it right, and gives | | | | to its clients (you saved your client money). |
| example of some companies that are doing it | | | | Answer a) could be from any company, on any |
| right - right now. | | | | website in the world. |
| #1 TELL YOUR STORY QUICKLY | | | | Example: When you visit Azure Capital Partners' |
| People have very short attention spans. On the | | | | website ( you immediately see stories about their |
| web, it is estimated that you have less than 2 | | | | portfolio companies. So, visitors immediately know |
| seconds to grab a viewer's attention. And nothing | | | | three things: 1) since Azure has portfolio |
| causes a viewer to lose interest faster than | | | | companies, they are a venture capital firm, 2) |
| confusion. So, your company's homepage must | | | | Azure's portfolio companies are successful, and 3) |
| instantly and clearly show what you do, or | | | | Azure is, therefore, a successful venture capital |
| viewers will not understand why they should learn | | | | firm. They are powerfully showing both what |
| more. | | | | they do and that they are good at it! |
| Technique A - Be Obvious - Enobia Pharma | | | | Conclusion |
| It is hard to be too obvious on a website. If your | | | | If your site shows viewers exactly what you do |
| company's offering is straightforward enough, like | | | | and why they should care, you've taken the first |
| a law firm, put "law offices" or "law firm" on your | | | | step to creating a great online marketing tool. |
| homepage. If you repair bicycles, put those words | | | | * Basic, organic search engine optimization ("SEO") |
| on. However, for many companies, that isn't | | | | is an exception, and should be included at the |
| enough. They need to quickly differentiate | | | | start - but more on that at a later date. |