Guide to e-commerce - writing the brief

There are many benefits to be gained from being on the web, yet too many companies fail to realise them because they commission the wrong website for the wrong reasons. Often this is because they have written a brief without really knowing what they want, what they could have or, more importantly, what they actually need.

There are few things worse for a supplier than being given a brief that is vague, ill conceived or unrealistic. Below are some points for you to consider before you start writing the brief. These may seem obvious, but it's amazing how often they get overlooked in the rush to just 'get something up there'.

Why do you want a web site?

Generally the answer to this question is 'fear or greed' - fear because your competitor has one, greed because you expect to make money from it. If either of these is your reason, you are likely to be disappointed.

There are many re sons for having a web site, from brand-building and promotion, corporate communications and public relations, marketing and lead-generation, through to e-commerce and e-business. Think about how the web can fit into, or even change, your business model. How might it enhance, complement or replace any of your existing activities or channels? There's no point spending money on a web site just for the sake of it - an ill-conceived site can often do more damage than good.

Don't confuse what you want with what you need

You may have really liked someone else's web site and want something similar. What works for one company, however, may not necessarily be best for you. Some questions to think about include: