[support] Is Drupal Appropriate for Our Site?

[Miles Fidelman]

Rich Shepard wrote:
>     Most of the pages on our site are static; I'll add new newsletters or
> white papers to the documents.shtml page, but that's about it. I would like
> to add polls, a form-based e-mail capability for those who prefer to ask for
> information that way rather than via regular e-mail, and -- perhaps -- the
> ability to comment on issues raised in newsletters and white papers. This is
> why I ask whether Drupal is really the appropriate tool for me to learn and
> apply.
>    
For a simple, relatively static site, I'd probably go with Wordpress, 
for more complex ones, Drupal or maybe Plone (I've used all three, 
played with others).  The KISS principle applies to web sites, just like 
anything else - why eat administrative headaches if you don't need the 
extra functionality.
>     I don't know that any professional services consulting company's Web site
> actually generates clients. I know that a poor site can drive away potential
> clients, but in the 17 years I've run my business no one has hired us
> because they found our Web site somehow and decided they needed our
> services. Of course, if I can actually generate new business via a spiffy,
> Durpal-based site, I'll be very pleased to have that result.
>    
These days, its more that the web site is a combination newsletter and 
brochure - to the extent that you do a lot of writing, someone might 
track down a paper and that can lead to a sale, but beyond that, the web 
site is where someone will turn to find out about who you are AFTER 
you've made initial contact through a referral, sales pitch, or more 
traditional means.  (Having said that, I once retained an attorney, 
based on a web site that presented in-depth information about a very 
specialized area of practice.)
>     You can see the current site at http://www.appl-ecosys.com/. I'm
> completely open to suggestions to make it more of an attactant, and whether
> Drupal is appropriate for this type of site.
>    
For what it's worth, and since you asked - the web site does not present 
a clear image of who you are, and what you do - it takes work to dig 
that out.  My suggestion would be to really streamline the "who, what, 
where, when, why" message - one sentence that jumps out about what you 
do, and then make it really easy to find bios and case studies.  If you 
want to add value, some how-to material, and maybe a blog that provides 
useful, current information (someone may not be a prospect today but 
might be tomorrow if you keep them on the hook).

Having said all of that, I'm currently doing none of the above.  I work 
in a primarily big-ticket sales environment, it's all direct sales 
followed by proposals.  When I build web sites, they tend to be to 
support a specific project, mostly for internal communications.  So take 
anything I say with a grain of salt.

Two web sites that are pretty simple, but to the point, are
www.millervaneaton.com
and
http://www.baller.com/
both law firms that specialize in telecom. law (an area I used to be 
involved in).  No bells and whistles - just clean presentation of the 
firms, their practice areas, their key people, and some useful 
information that adds credibility.  Not a bad model for a consulting 
firm's web site.

Hope this helps,

Miles Fidelman

Miles Fidelman

-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In<fnord>  practice, there is.   .... Yogi Berra