Question

Topic: Strategy

How Much Web Site Info Is Too Much?

Posted by Anonymous on 5/25/2004 at 3:24 PM ET 125 Points
Hi all-

I've just started working in Marketing for a technology company. One of my immediate responsibilities is to redesign the content of the company's web site.

My new boss doesn't want me to provide PDFs of our marketing collateral, as she doesn't want to give away too much competitive info.

In the past, at other companies, i've always erred on the side of providing a lot of product information, as I certainly believe that knowledge is power, and as a product of the internet generation, if I can't find what I want online, I go elsewhere.

How much information is too much fodder for competitors? Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Nipper
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 5/25/2004 at 3:52 PM Accepted
    c:

    The answer really depends on several variables. Start by taking a hard look at your product(s) and assess what about it is truly proprietary. Is your process different? Relationships with partners? Parts?

    Next spend some time talking with actual customers. Find out why they buy? Was it the features? Your special process? What?

    Do you have any data on how customers are using your site? Do they spend the time to click on PDFs? Are they information seekers or response buyers?

    With answers to these questions, you can sit down with your boss and present viable alternatives regarding your marketing collateral and messaging.

    Look at each piece of collateral and place a value on it. Most customers generally expect that your site will provide them with a brochure they can download or page content regarding your product. They are also likely to get annoyed if they have to register to receive this information. However, they may be more willing to subscribe to your newsletter or to sign up to receive in-depth case studies on the application of your product or updates on your latest version.

    Use techniques such as these to build your marketing database and make it harder for competition to raid your knowledge base.

    b

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 5/25/2004 at 3:52 PM Accepted
    The companies I have been with (all tech companies) generally lean towards providing more, rather than less. The general assumption is that your competitors will get it, no matter what you do. Given this, you want to make it as easy as possible for a prospect to get the information.

    Things like marketing collateral should be put on the web as PDFs. If it is something a sales person would pretty freely hand out, then put it up there.

    One trend I have been seeing is requiring people to fill in a form providing details on themselves before receiving information. For documents which provide general info, I wouldn't require it. But docs that would only really be looked at by a serious prospect, you could have them fill in a form to get. You gather basic contact info, and perhaps then send the link to the doc as an email (don't provide on your web). This is good sales lead info. Added benefit is that competitors may not be willing to admit who they are, so are less likely to fill in the form (though most will just fill it in with their home address).

    Depending on how your pricing works, this is one area you may want to be tight lipped on. If there is a lot of price variability, then keep the pricing confidential. But if you are selling consumer electronics, then listing a suggested retail price would be expected.
  • Posted on 5/25/2004 at 3:58 PM Author
    Thanks, all!
  • Posted by tjh on 5/26/2004 at 12:59 AM Member
    The only proviso I've learned my way into regarding lots of info on a web site (which I personally like in most sites btw) is this:

    In many, maybe most, cases, the website should ultimately lock in a personal contact, some reach from the reader. In addition to the many other things a good site can or should do - ultimately, the one certain thing I'd always shoot at is provoking an inbound reach of some appropriate kind.

    If that's one of the senior purposes of your web site, then "telling too much" will blunt some calls. If you answer all the questions, they'll make their decision without you there to detect and handle objections or misunderstandings.

    If you want to maximize contact with closers on staff, then judicious use of data is likely to be called for. This doesn't mean that data can be sparse.

    However, if you're trying to automate or otherwise let readers make their own decisions without some personal help from the company, then give them everything they need.

    Also, aosterday is right.

    And, I'm not sure of your industry, but I'd guess the concept of giving away too much to competitors is not near the risk that might be perceived. Surely, don't disclose truly valuable Intellectual Property.

    I'm confused about how marketing collateral, whether on site, or off, can give too much competitive info. Are you making prospects sign Non-Disclosure Agreements prior to certain discussions? If so, then that data must remain off the site.

    If your readers are tech-heads or other heavy techie types, they will expect a certain amount of respect in the quality of the data you do choose to present. So you do have a point.

    Good luck.
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