Lets say you are a small manufacturer or a service company that
doesn't sell directly to the public.

What reasons would you need for a website?

Here is some I can think of. Please add or amend the list.

1) Contact information and directions
2) Provide literature (possibly PDFs) on your services or products.
3) Company News
4) About the company
5) Employment opportunities

Surely there must be others.

After collaborating with one party or another for the last decade,
I'm on my own and am trying to clarify some concepts.

Jeff

"Jeff" <jeff@spam_me_not.com> wrote in message
news:13muee78l72jpca@corp.supernews.com...
> Lets say you are a small manufacturer or a service company that doesn't
> sell directly to the public.
>
> What reasons would you need for a website?
>
> Here is some I can think of. Please add or amend the list.
>
> 1) Contact information and directions
> 2) Provide literature (possibly PDFs) on your services or products.
> 3) Company News
> 4) About the company
> 5) Employment opportunities
>
> Surely there must be others.
>
> After collaborating with one party or another for the last decade, I'm
> on my own and am trying to clarify some concepts.


The biggest item you are missing from your list would be: "B2B"

They might not sell to the public, but they can let their customers log in
and:
- Browse catalogues
- Place orders
- Review orders status
- Direct shipment of products
- Review account status
- Pay invoices online
- Log any complaints or problems

Jeff wrote:

> Lets say you are a small manufacturer or a service company that
> doesn't sell directly to the public.
>
> What reasons would you need for a website?
>
> Here is some I can think of. Please add or amend the list.
>
> 1) Contact information and directions
> 2) Provide literature (possibly PDFs) on your services or products.
> 3) Company News
> 4) About the company
> 5) Employment opportunities
>
> Surely there must be others.
>
> After collaborating with one party or another for the last decade,
> I'm on my own and am trying to clarify some concepts.

When it comes to the end consumer, "where to buy" (a list of certified
distributors/dealerships) or a list of companies that utilize your
product/services (don't forget to get a permission to use your
customers' names in this case). The latter works as a B2B sales point
(basically a portfolio), and a type of quality assurance for the end
consumer.

Companies such as Ford, GM (with the brands GMC, Cadillac, Buick,
Chevrolet, Hummer, etc), Chrysler, Toyota, BMW and Volvo (just to throw
a few examples on the table) don't sell *any* cars directly to
consumers or regular businesses, but only through dealerships. Even
though these are rather large corporations, they, too, manufacture
products that aren't sold directly to the public.

--
Kim André Akerø
- kimandre@NOSPAMbetadome.com
(remove NOSPAM to contact me directly)