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Source: Link Magazine, August 2002

If you've put off developing a B2B Web site for your business because you weren't sure how the market would respond, it's time to stop waiting. Distributors' customers are clamoring for the easy access of information that a Web site can provide. In addition to getting updated information on invoices and account status, customers want the ability to view stock and place orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In return, you get increased sales, improved customer service, and expanded market share.

Because you've waited, you have the advantage of learning from those who ventured into the world of e-commerce ahead of you. Successful B2B Web sites have three things in common: (1) all were developed by the best solution provider for that industry that understood how to integrate to your backend business system; (2) all were planned carefully to meet customers' needs; and (3) all were implemented with an effective marketing strategy.

Choosing a Solution Provider

Choosing the right solution provider is critical to your success.

These days, it seems like everyone has a teenage cousin who is a wiz at Web-design. They'll wow you with words like flash and html and hyperlinks until you're so overwhelmed that you give them free rein to create the site of their dreams.

Not so fast. The best Web site for your business isn't necessarily the one with the most bells and whistles. As you search for a solution provider, be sure to ask a few key questions:

• How long has the solution provider been in business?
• Does he or she possess knowledge of my industry?
• Has the designer developed other sites that are similar to the way I would like mine to function?
• Who are the provider's references?
• How will the potential provider integrate the site with my backend business systems?
• How much will the solution cost?
• Are there hidden costs, (i.e. upgrading current business systems, recurring licensing, etc.)?
• How long will it take to get the site up and running?
• Can the provider host the site to ensure that it is always up and running?

You want to find someone who has been in business long enough to know how to create a Web site that will fit your needs and not just be another notch on their resume. It's important that they know your industry, and even better if they've developed similar sites for other distributors.

The company you choose should provide you with a list of satisfied customers to contact - and you should contact them as well as cruise around their Web sites to see what you do and don't like. When you speak to references, ask if they hit any snags in the implementation process

Make sure the hosting facilities are secure. Viruses and hackers cause billions of dollars of damage every year and can bring a crashing halt to your online commerce. You want a Web host who can protect the infrastructure of your site and ensure that it says live even during periods of reduced power.

Ask whomever you choose to develop your Web site to present a detailed plan of how their technology will integrate with your current business system. Since this is typically the most difficult portion of building a Web site, it should be the focus of your discussion. Make sure that you don't have to purchase a whole new business system just to run your Web site. Many times the best choice of a company to develop your Web site is your current backend solution provider if they offer this service.

Taking the time to research the many vendors on the market, and asking detailed questions, will start you on the right path to choosing the best solutions provider.

Plan. Plan. Plan.

Once you've selected a solution provider, work with the company to develop a Web site that will serve your business well into the future.

Request that your solution provider supply you with a project plan that lays out what has to happen and when, and what decisions need to be made and by whom. Put together a team to help determine the direction you want the site to take. Include members of sales, marketing, information technology (IT), and executive staff to help create the vision of how the site will be rolled out to your customers and prospects. This team must also define the value that this Web site will bring to your customers. This message is very important to that it can be explained to your customer from all levels of your organization. Do not wait for your customer to request this or your competitors do this. At that point you may have lost the customer. Be proactive and drive the value to your customer.

Companies that take some time in selecting team members as well as a team leader to work with the solutions provider are on the right path for success in the launch of a Web site.

Build It and They Will Come-If You Tell Them Too

Once your Web site is live on the Internet, all you have to do is sit back while the orders come pouring in, right? Not exactly.

With proper planning from the project team, the marketing of your Web site should have begun long before the site is launched. From the very beginning, your customers need to be aware that you are preparing to launch an additional way for them to do business with you. And by the time your site is live, you're marketing machine should be running at full gear. This is important because on the Internet, you're competing with not just the guy around the corner, but also the guys around every corner on every street. To maximize your return on investment, you want the public to be able to find you quickly.

Start by printing your site's address on everything from business cards and invoices, to the sides of your delivery trucks and the end of your e-mails. Your site's name should be synonymous with your company's name. Direct mail pieces can be sent early and often to your existing customers; and phone-messaging systems can also advertise the site. Drive the value to your sales force so they spread the word about the site by assuring them that it won't draw sales from them, but rather free them to bring in the bigger, more lucrative contracts. And of course, don't forget to register with the big search engines.

Ultimately, a well-planned, well-executed, well-marketed Web site can increase your sales and improve customer service while making a huge positive impact on your bottom line.

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