Rich Shepard wrote:
Most of the pages on our site are static; I'll add new newsletters orwhite 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 siteactually 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'mcompletely 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