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Which Website

What type of website is suitable for your business

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Why a website

A website will open up your business to a many more potential customers, and provide a resource of information for existing customers. Nearly all businesses can benefit from a website, it depends on how the website is designed to contribute to the business. The primary objective of most business websites is to help you gain more new customers.

It follows then that the website must :

• provide relevant and up to date information about the business
• be set out in such a way that readers will find easy to navigate and understand.

Think of a website as a book about your business, split into many small chapters. It needs to tell your story.

Which Type of Website

The table below summarises the type of website that might be suitable for your business. This is only a guide, please use it as such. Any type of website can work for any type of business, depending on circumstances, budget and organisation. After the table, there is more detailed information to help. Our Carver2 is excellent for providing websites in the categories below.

 

Website Type	Your Business	Suggested Website Content	Example Businesses
e-commerce	Basic products and services Easy to order Easy to deliver Wide target market	Business Summary Contact details and opening times Product and service descriptions, as a storyline Product listings Order and payment facilities	Furniture store Cycle shop Jewellers Specialist clothes shop Supply business
Catalog	Complex products and services Complex to order Basic or complex delivery or requires installation Wide target market	Business Summary Contact details and opening times Product and service descriptions, as a storyline Product listings	Bespoke furniture Car and van sales and hire Letting agency Wedding stationary
Enhanced Information	Primarily services / complex products Ordered in person or by phone Customer collects or has to be delivered on site Wide target market	Business Summary Contact details and opening times Product and service descriptions, as a storyline Bespoke Enquiry Form	Solicitor - specific services Financial Services Management consultant Coach hire
Information	Products services ordered / collected / delivered in person Complex negotiation required Any type of product / service Wide target market or only local customers	Business Summary Contact details and opening times Description of your products and services, as a storyline	Architects Bespoke Engineering Corner shop Hair and Beauty Funeral Director

I only see local people

You may think that because the market for your products and services is purely local, with people coming to you to order and buy, then a website may not help you. A website can attract custom from further away to boost your business at those quiet times. A local grocer shop or a local hairdresser are both good examples.

Customer Location

It really does not matter whether your customers are local, national or international for a website to help broaden your customer base. What does matter is your ability to modify your processes to take orders from remote customers, then be able to deliver your products and services to them. If you have a complex product to deliver, a self assembly kit form might be possible.

Basic Products and Services

Products and services that are easy to define, easy to deliver and require minimal installation within customer capability are very suitable for selling online. The customer does not need to visit you to place the order, and you do not need to visit the customer to deliver or install.

Variations of a product or service can be handled by selecting options during the on-line buying process. The product description and all options must be very clearly defined, to ensure a customer to places the order.

Complex Products and Services

Products and services requiring complex and detailed specification are more difficult to sell online. The more complex, the more issues to resolve! Online trading is possible, but this might involve an initial electronic order, followed by clarification by e-mail or other media. Delivery and on-site installation might be included. A catalog website with product and service examples can work well.

For bespoke products and services, an information type website works well. The website will concentrate on options available to the customer, your processes, and how the customer will interact with you. The more information you provide to assist your customer the more likely they are to call you. Beware, not to give away your trade secrets!

Complex contractual issues, finance arrangements and where certain checks need to be made prior to accepting an order will reduce your ability to offer an online service. It can get too complex for your customer and for you. All but the simplest of legal and financial services fall into this category. An online enquiry form is a good approach - get talking.

Unique Products and Services

Unique products and services, hard to get anywhere else are very good for selling on the Internet. It could be home made jam, a selection of collectable items, one off pieces of furniture, or limited edition products. An online shop is an excellent approach.

For mass market packaged products, there needs to be a compelling reason for a customer to buy from you online, when there are many more shops and websites selling the same item or service. Price and your service are usually the main factors that drive a buyer, together with a clear, easy to use and secure website with visible and credible contact details. Leave it to the big players, or set your goals high and go for it!

Interaction, Blogs, Forums

An interactive feature on a website can help a user to understand a concept, or provide a result against some entered criteria. An element of interaction can be achieved within the Carver2 system with bespoke programming, for example financial calculators, or a conveyancing calculator that e-mails results to the site owner.

A web log or "blog" is a set of functions that allow regular posting of diary articles to the web. If you have a lot to say regularly, then a blog is a good method to get yourself heard. It is also a good method to drive traffic to your website. Have a look at the carver2 website at www.zealise.com and the Typepad blog designed with it at blog.zealise.com.

A forum is a special type of website where people can discuss a subject by posting a topic, and responding to that or another topic.