Mick,
My thoughts are "Think of the user first."
What will visitors to your site want to do?
Help them do it.
After that, if you want to provide mission statements, provisions, unique
selling points, then you can decide where amongst your spectrum of users
those are who need to be convinced of your worthiness to perform a service
for them.
I would suggest those who need convincing would be more convinced by a fast,
effective design that lets them get on with whatever they want to do, rather
than one that makes them take note of your mission statement before they can
figure out how to do whatever it is they came to your site for in the first
place.
Actions speak louder than words.
*************************************************************
Paul Milne
EDINA Documentation Officer Tel: +44 (0)131 650 4626
Ext. 504626 Fax: +44 (0)131 650 3308
EDINA <http://edina.ac.uk/> email: [log in to unmask]
University of Edinburgh
on 28/9/00 3:29 PM, Mick China at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> A colleague recently attended a PR/Marketing seminar. The speakers
> suggested that as a department (within a University) we are a "brand"
> and that we should "improve our image". Furthermore, they suggested
> that we should present - via our website - the following:
>
> 1) Mission statement
> 2) A provision (meaning things that we are very good at)
> 3) A unique selling point.
>
> I have a natural cynicism about this, but recognise that I am not by
> any means a professional web designer! Nor do I have any formal
> training in marketing techniques. Points (1) and (3) send an
> involuntary shudder up my spine. Point (2) may be worthy of
> consideration but the marketeers apparently suggested that the
> "provisions" should be indicated prominently on the site homepage.
>
> Do any of the real professionals reading this list have any
> thoughts, bearing in mind that the context is a departmental site
> within my University?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mick.
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