For B2B marketers your web site is your most important promotional vehicle. I know I'm overstating the obvious but I continue to be amazed at how little emphasis is placed on the one marketing asset than can drive the most qualified opportunities into the pipeline.
If we all know that our web sites are the most important promotional vehicle then why do so many web sites continue to suck so badly?
Avoids the buyer's problems
Does your web site drone on and on about the wonders of your product? Or do you genuinely attempt to connect your buyer's problems with how you solve them? One of my favorite examples is at 37 Signals. It's simple, crisp and clear. In a sea of CRM or CRM-lite products, 37 Signals have done a great job of simplifying their message.
Irrational organizational barriers
Does corporate marketing (or some other group) 'own' your web site and have they placed a process in place so onerous that you've given up? You don't print 10,000 copies of your web site every time you make a change. Corporate marketing shouldn't be a barrier, they should be cheerleaders. Content is king on the web and if there is any group that is preventing content from being added or updated, you should question their value.
Denial
Are there people in your company that still believe - in this day and age - they have buyers that don't use the web to seek out answers to their problems? This is utter nonsense. Most buyers want to learn about ways to solve their problems without having to talk with a salesperson first. Companies who believe otherwise are arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
