[WEB4LIB] business information needs studies?

[sean dreilinger]

Avi Rappoport wrote:
> I'm helping some folks set up a site for small and medium-sized
> businesses, and want to expand their thoughts on the kinds of
> information that these groups need.  They are currently focussed on
> company names/stock codes and SIC codes.

that's an impressive start - your client has identified their online
audience -- i've seen many companies sit down to start a web site and
they haven't even really considered their online audience and whether or
not that audience is represented online.

> I strongly suspect that there are also more general needs like "what
> are the implications of requiring my employees to wear uniforms?" and
> "Where can I get a good price on a printer-fax-copier machine?" but I
> don't have the evidence.  So I'm looking for some business library
> studies -- any pointers?  I'll also take unpublished and anecdotal
> evidence ;-).

a good next step might involve determining some business goals and
related user scenarios for the web site. its a little boring if you're
not into it, details below. once you have defined those and have the
client enthused over a w3 service that addresses the desired user
scenarios and works towards their business goals...

HTH
--sean :-)

sample goals:

  1. accomplish digital branding of our business (by giving a away a
valuable service to the online small business community to increase
awareness of the sponsor)

  2. sell our product online (maybe your client has a killer book of
small business advice)

  3. this web site will build a database of users we can communicate
with regarding our business or product

  4. increase offline sales of our product or service by providing
pre-sales and faq information online

  5. increase walk-in traffic to our library's business reference
department


sample scenarios (not connected to 1-4 above):

  1. a small business owner wants to locate every similar business
within their geographic area

  2. someone responsible for purchasing needs help with online
comparison shopping.

  3. a small business CFO needs accounting or legal advice - maybe
industry specific

  4. a local business educator wants to contact potential guest speakers

--
                          sean dreilinger, mlis
                          mailto:sean at durak.org
                          http://durak.org/sean