A Web site can become your marketing and communications HUB. It's a natural! After all, a Web site should be more than a stand-alone brochure; it should be the center of all of your marketing and communications efforts and lead your on-profile clients and prospects to other initiatives that further develop relationships with you. It should help focus your marketing and communications efforts, bringing them together.

Your Web site should:

• Clearly define whom you work with (client profile and target market), how you help people, and what sets you apart (your brand identity / value proposition).


• Introduce and manage your e-mail newsletter.


• Provide details and registration for upcoming events such as seminars and client appreciation events.


• Archive articles.


• List links of interest.


• Encourage referrals.


• Highlight testimonials from other clients.

By reflecting your professional identity brand, your Web site personifies your professionalism and commitment to building strong, long-lasting relationships. Having a Web presence that people want to use and come back to is a competitive advantage; but content is critical. Your site must offer real value for the effort it takes to get there.

When people visit your Web site, you have an opportunity to reinforce your message and gather information from potential customers who are already interested in your services and want to learn more. But first you must lead or push visitors to your site — or do both!