Most companies have websites but many of them are still not making money for the company. WCS CEO Pat Hough believes that the reason is a lack of knowledge about what actions need to be taken to develop an effective website.
“We find that when companies want to build a website the first thing they do is get a quotation from local web designers. Ireland has excellent web designers but managers need to know exactly what to ask for – and most don’t. They don’t realise that a site may look perfect but if it hasn’t been designed as a sales tool it won’t generate revenue.”
“The situation in Ireland is typical of what has happened in other countries If you look on the web you’ll find some excellent sales sites – and not just from the big companies. But you’ll also find many sites that have no chance of generating a sale. In many cases those sites cost more than the successful ones – so it’s isn’t about spending more money, it’s about spending money wisely.”
“Many managers believe that the Internet could never work for them because they haven’t been able to generate any sales in the past – but that’s like blaming the car for running out of petrol. A business website has to be managed properly and that takes knowledge and some work.”
Pat Hough believes that the first step is to develop an Internet marketing plan before the web designers are called in. “They need clear instructions but usually they have to contend with conflicting requirements and unrealistic expectations. It can be a nightmare for conscientious web designers”
WCS is offering a free consultation service until 15th December. This is available to Irish companies and to International clients from http://www.web-




