On CD-ROMS and Websites

The Website and the CD-ROM together make a wonderful one-two punch for an organization's marketing initiatives. The CD and the Web can feed into each other and supply an organization with highly sought after viewer information while simultaneously giving the target audience substantial added value.

First let's talk about the role of the Website. Among all of the other jobs of the Website, it creates demand for the CD-ROM. Create web content in various forms to advertise the availability of the CD-ROM and the features, functions and benefits of obtaining a copy. Chief among the benefits of having a CD-ROM is that it provides an alternate delivery mechanism for large content, content that might be considered excessive for some to download, or view piecemeal online. A web page form collects required (and highly desirable) contact information from the visitor online. The contact information logged, the user's browser tagged, and the CD-ROM request fulfilled. The visitor gets the CD, and you get prospect information. By tagging the browser with a cookie, your company is better able to track this prospect's use of your Website, and the visitor isn't required to re-enter their information again in the near future. Assuming the CD-ROM has some perceived value-add, it serves as an incentive for web visitors to register their contact information.

While the Web site is, or should be, dynamic in terms of content. The CD-ROM is quite static and the content ages in time. A well executed CD-ROM checks in with the Website via the Internet and checks for updates to content and reports any changes to the person viewing the CD. This process is a win-win for everybody: potentially stale content gets identified, and the Website logs that the prospect has indeed viewed the CD. Of course, the CD-ROM advertises the Website, and possibly facilitates one or more types of business transactions. Examples include: pricing check, order placement, order tracking, service request, inventory look-up, etc. The possibilities are endless and provide significant benefits for everyone involved.

So, give some thought to increasing the ties between your organization's Website and CD-ROM. You'll be doing everyone a favor, and increasing the bottom-line in the process.

About KeyResults
KeyResults is a Marketing Communications Services company based in Houston, TX. They can be contacted at 281-376-5378 or by visiting www.KeyResults.com