I think that websites are simply another form of brand communication. But unlike more usual forms of communication, e.g. telephone, print, TV, a client or other business partner can feel whether they want to be connected with the company within seconds. The information transferred is more than words and pictures. It is company identity, pictures and words in that order.

How many times have you gone to a website and moved on before the content is even downloaded? I can often tell if the company is not what I am looking for within seconds and the decision is largely made subconsciously based on the simplest of things – font, colours, logo, originality. This may not be fair but it is a reality.

With that in mind, the first thing I had to do was identify my target market. It will predominantly be made up of successful 30 and 40 somethings working a city life. So I immediately know that if I use Times New Roman font and pictures of Welsh Dressers I’ll have kissed goodbye to the customer before they even see my name.

Next thing to consider is why are these people coming to my website and what they expect to find when they get here. I am not targeting surfers so they won’t just happen across my website. I’ll have told them, they will have seen it printed, a link from another site or someone else will have told them about it. And why will they visit? Not to order furniture that’s for sure. They will be interested in my style (does my brand and furniture meet their lifestyle aspirations?) and to see examples of my work (is this guy worth contacting?).

Once they are in I need to keep them engaged. If they are not ready to contact me then I need to draw them back periodically so that they remember me when they do need some furniture. To do this I need to be interesting (hmm...) and I need to change the pictures of my work. In both cases I need to update the content regularly to give people a reason to come back.

Most importantly I need to try and establish a two-way relationship with the viewers. A website is really only a one-way, broadcast type medium so I need them to act on the website by calling, writing or e-mailing me personally. And that contact can be about anything not just business – “establish a good relationship then the work will always come your way”.

So there you have it, the Scott Jenkins approach to websites. All I need now for you to contact me so that we can build a relationship… please.

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