My column, "Report Card: Your Website Gets an 'F,'" from last week's newsletter caused quite a stir. Messages from readers poured in saying things like, "Great article!" "Great timing." "It is clear as daylight." And I received messages from several readers who took offense.

It all begs the question: What does an "A" website look like? Below are a number of my favorite sites—each I like for a variety of reasons, but I like them most of all because they do a good job of putting usability first.

While a professional design is necessary for an "A" level site, it is not sufficient. (There is a certain hurdle you must jump from a design standpoint to not "look" like your site was done in 1995—but design alone won't get you an "A" or even a "B.")

Who Gets an "A"

• ExactTarget - http://email.exacttarget.com/
  One of my favorite sites from a design and usability perspective. The design is professional, clean, and used to draw the eye to areas of interest where the user can interact with the site.
  
  The "Find the Solution That’s Right for You" box is placed prominently on the site allowing the user to quickly find information that is relevant to them - by industry, business challenge, technology, or ExactTarget Edition.
  
  Plus, check out the entire bottom portion of the site. A plethora of content - blog entries, white papers, events, tutorials, news, client logos, case studies - that show me this company not only knows what they are talking about and that they've been successful with many other companies, but that they are a thought leader in this field.
  
  
• Wilmer Hale - http://www.wilmerhale.com/
  What's important in law is experience and Wilmer Hale does an exceptional job of highlighting individual lawyers' track records, successes, and expertise. Each lawyer's bio includes their education, practice areas, publications, professional activities, recent highlights, speaking engagements, honors and awards, and more. Plus they post to the public the each lawyer's address, phone, and email. You can even download a v-card with their contact information. Talk about making the experts accessible!
  
  
• Molecular - http://www.molecular.com
  What I like most about this site isn't the fun intro with the big name client and case study on the homepage (though it does a wonderful job of demonstrating their work), but the cleanliness of it. It is simple and straightforward. From the homepage they have links to news, insights, events, services, and their blog. You can bet that each of these links is being updated regularly.
  
  Plus, Molecular links to each of the social networking sites they are a part of—what a great way to take advantage of new technologies and build a strong connection with clients and prospects, alike.
  
  
• McKinsey & Company - http://www.mckinsey.com
  I'm sure you're thinking, "Of course McKinsey is on the list - they are only the largest, most well known consulting firm on the planet." The thing that amazes me about the McKinsey site is that, despite the massive amount of content the site has, it remains so simple. They only have four top level navigation buttons. I'd be willing to bet your site has more than that (I know ours certainly does).
  
  McKinsey has hundreds of services and produces mass amounts of content through the McKinsey Quarterly, and they do an extraordinary job of laying it all out and helping the user find what is relevant to them. As a web visitor, you must first choose a path—by functional practice or industry—and then McKinsey links to relevant content based on this selection—services, latest thinking, careers, etc. Each area essentially has its own microsite dedicated to that topic. What a wealth of information provided in a clean and easy to use way.
  
  
• Infosys - http://www.infosys.com/
  Front and center on the homepage, Infosys tries to get web visitors interacting with the site – you can read or discuss the latest blog entries. Right next to this they highlight all of the awards they've received, building credibility.
  
  Once you dig in to the interior of the site – they include scrolling stories across the top of each page and a search box to help you find what you are looking for.
  
  
• Wellesley Hills Group – http://www.whillsgroup.com
  In full disclosure, this is the RainToday.com parent company’s website and I lead the web project. So I might be a little biased on this one. That being said, we get prospects telling us all the time that they came to our site and ended up spending hours on it reading all of the great insights and content available. I can tell you first hand that the website has had a positive influence on our own lead generation and nurturing efforts.
  
  One of my favorite features of the site is the cross linking used throughout, making it easy for the user to navigate the site. Services pages link to related ideas (articles and white papers) and related case studies. Case studies and articles link to other related ideas and services. It flows very nicely and guides the user to areas that are of greatest interest to them.
  
  
• Hewitt Associates - http://www.hewittassociates.com/
  Another site with a wealth of content. While many of Hewitt's reports, podcasts, and other thought leading pieces are viewable by all visitors, more in-depth survey findings do require the user to complete a barrier page (a form where they are required to provide contact information in exchange for the report. For example, visit: http://www.hewittassociates.com/Intl/NA/en-US/KnowledgeCenter/ArticlesReports/ArticleDownload.aspx?fid=310.) Their barrier forms allow them to convert web browsers into real leads, which they can then follow up with. 
  
  
• CSC - http://www.csc.com/
  They put their client successes in a place where you can't miss them - scrolling, front and center on the homepage. With a series of scrolling client success stories with catchy images and titles they demonstrate their expertise without the user even having to make a single click of the mouse.

What do all of these sites have in common? They go beyond their company's brochure. They give an example of what it is like to actually work with them. They demonstrate the firm's expertise and experience. They are content rich and provide information beyond the stock marketing copy describing their services and processes. They are constantly being added to with new insight pieces, research, and blog posts, and some are even reaching out and creating webpages on new social media sites. They become a resource for the prospect, which helps build credibility, reliability, and trust—all essential elements for a sale.

The sites listed here put an emphasis on the content provided on their site and the way in which it is laid out and flows. Prospects are going to remember what you say on your site more than the color palette you choose—as long as what you are saying goes beyond "here are our services, now contact us."

Share with us: There are great services websites out there, but it is the exception not the norm. Take this short, anonymous questionnaire and share with us websites that you like as well as what you are doing to integrate new social media to your marketing mix. Select responses will be shared in an upcoming issue of Rainmaker Report.

And remember, RainToday...Dark by Midnight.