A couple of weeks ago Mark and I presented at Intrinsic's North West regional meeting.  Our session was about leveraging your website as a communication tool.

There's a lot of focus on social media at present, and rightly so; the world's population is more connected than ever, real world relationships are being taken online and nurtured there too, and new relationships are being forged by the second, all through social networking sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

With TCF upon us and RDR just around the corner, cementing your relationship with your clients via regular communication is more important than ever and, amidst all the focus on social media it's easy to overlook the opportunities to use a simple website to enable two-way communication with your clients.

I'm not saying don't use social media, not for one second, but I am saying that like traditional offline marketing, you need a varied or mixed approach to ensure you reach your audience; not all your clients will be comfortable following you on Twitter, they might not be on LinkedIn, and they may not be a Facebook user, though this will undoubtedly change with time.

One thing is certain:- With the internet as we know it now at least 15 years old, most people have internet access and are familiar with browsing websites and sending and receiving email, which for me means this is where your social networking should start, on your website and in your email, complimented of course, by the likes of Twitter and Facebook.

Clearly, not all websites lend themselves to a role such as this.  If yours is a simple brochureware website that you can't or don't update very often, it’s difficult to see how that fits within a communication or social media strategy.

This was the focus of our presentation to Intrinsic members; what a website needs to be able to do, to be an interactive communication channel; a tool that can be instrumental in client servicing as well as generating new business.

We identified this short list:-

• Content Management System /File Managers
• Role/User permissions
• Newsletters
• Email Marketing
• Structured Enquiry Forms
• TCF Client Feedback Form

Content Management System/ File Managers

If your website doesn't employ a Content Management System (CMS), that lets you add and edit content, upload documents and files, then immediately it is not very useful.  Your updates will have to be made via a web designer, which is both more costly and takes more time, than doing it yourself.  With a CMS you have the power to amend your website day by day, reflecting industry news and comment in a timely fashion.

Role/User permissions

As soon as you can control “who” can view “what” on your website, you have opportunities for making some content available to a set of users and hidden from others - say a markets summary that you prepare just for your clients, or a newsletter that is only available to registered users.

Newsletters

A regular topical newsletter is a great way to keep your clients and others coming back to your website, and in an electronic format on your website, there's no printing overhead!  Making it available to registered users only will help build your prospect base as people sign up on your website.

Email Marketing

A simple system for emailing all your clients, registered users (or any role you have created on your website), is ideal for keeping in regular contact with your clients.  Emails that inform your registered user base about a new update to your website, or a new newsletter you've just uploaded, are much better than sending the actual content itself; give your users a choice about if and when they download big PDF attachments.

Structured Enquiry Forms

Even the most basic brochureware website will have some form of contact mechanism, but structured enquiry forms which collect information relevant to the enquiry are much better.  Structured enquiry forms not only enable you to evaluate the potential worth of the enquiry and prioritise it, they allow you to respond effectively and professionally.

TCF Client Feedback Form

Being able to demonstrate TCF is important, which is why a simple TCF client feedback form is extremely useful, and your website is the obvious place to put it.  You can print each submission and file it away, for the day the FSA comes to visit, or better still collate your own MI and monitor client satisfaction as part of your businesses KPIs.

It’s worth noting that the above, is only a fraction of the features and functionality of IFAPortal websites, but whether you choose IFA Portals for your website or another provider, the above functionality is something that should be part of your business requirements.