Web a Window to the World

By Philippa Stevenson

Websites of all descriptions - company, government, social networks, blogs, experts and ravers - have quickly become ready resources for journalists hunting down a story.

What does your website say about you? Have you even got a website to say anything?

Some business, especially small ones don't yet have their own websites. No matter your business size, that should be remedied immediately.

Among those that are already online, quality varies markedly. My pet hate is the anonymous site.

Despite the oft repeated mantra that business is about people-to-people relationships it is often a fruitless exercise trawling many websites for the name of any person to contact.

I don't trust online email forms. I've never used one successfully. I prefer a person to email or phone. Sadly, phone numbers are also often absent from many websites as are street addresses. Why be so frustratingly coy on your biggest window to the world?

Even more frustrating to potential customers is to have no website at all. It is highly likely that it is costing you business.

"I now avoid doing business with companies that don't have websites," one tech-savvy colleague told me.

"I like having my questions answered at any time day or night, or being able to quickly find directions and prices before I even leave the house. I never use a phone book anymore. I type what I'm looking for into Google or Yahoo search and use the results to make my shopping decisions."

It's not just the techno-junkies who like to sample the online goods before considering whether to further the relationship. As more and more advertisements refer clients or customers to websites "for more detail" we are all being trained to use sites as out first ports of call.

The news media, too, uses that 24/7 open door that an online presence provides. A reporter may not be able to get hold of you in the middle of the night, when you are tied up in meetings or sunning yourself on holiday. But your website, your online client newsletter, your blog or comments you've posted will provide some welcome detail.

It should give you pause for thought about how much detail you do post online and, especially, with social networking sites like Facebook, how widely you allow access to it. (If you or friends have been a tad indiscrete with the party photos you'd better check those privacy settings now!)

A big advantage of your online business presence is that it is easy to show your best side. Personally, you may occasionally have an off day, a bad mood, or a difficult customer that leaves you irritated. A website, though, is you at your most professional. Always. It lets you ensure that the majority of your customers, potential customers and the occasional journalist looking for a fact or quote get the message you intend.

If your website includes client testimonials (and it should) not only can they inspire customer confidence but they are also quickly available quotes for a journalist on a tight deadline or who for many reasons can't otherwise get comment about you or your business.

Your website can also deliver your logo and tagline, your photo, your products or work portfolio, company history, success stories, client list, awards and so on. Not just valuable stuff for building your reputation but all potentially valuable background for a reporter's story - and free exposure for you.

Just one last pet hate. When you have gone to all the trouble of getting your own domain name and having a professional website built do not stick to your old email address at your ISP or hotmail. For example, joebloggs@xtra.co.nz or worse, hotshotsurfer@hotmail.com.

Much more classy, professional and convenient is to have an email address using your domain name. You are probably already paying for it in your web hosting contract. For instance, joe@bloggsproducts.co.nz or even joe@hotshotsurfing.co.nz.

That gives an impression of professionalism to snooping reporters, too.

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