Mckesson.Com Site Style Guidelines

McKesson.com Site Style Guidelines:

DRAFT:

Internal use only

Version history:

Ver. No. / Changed by / Date
0.2 / Tracy Thomsic – Revised section titles; added information relevant to Sprint 2 and 3. / 11/10/12
0.2 / Tracy Thomsic – Added editorial information; template and page wire frame information and primary purchase goals. / 10/22/12
0.1 / Tracy Thomsic / 10/19/12

Contents

DRAFT:

Business Goals

Site Goals

Distribution Sales Model

McKesson.com Sales Model

User Groups, Behaviors, Characteristics

Priority 1: Prospective customers

Priority 2: Existing customers

Priority 3: Browsers (Potential Employees, Suppliers, Investors, Press)

Purchase Path

Primary Purpose Trends

Communication Ecosystem Brand

Brand Idea

Brand Essence

Brand Pillars

Brand Benefits

Brand Personality

Brand Architecture

Naming

Benefits

Tone and Voice

Story and Structure

McKesson.com Story Structure

General Guidelines

Writing

Visual Design

Interaction

Production

Infrastructure

Content Structure and Style

Marketing Messaging Guide

Educate (Customer Needs Based Content Messaging)

Engage

Explore

Links

Navigation

Template Strategy

Customer / Segment / Sub-Segment Pages

Solution / Services Pages

Product Pages

Products and Solutions page formatting

Page Component Models

Sub-segment Page

Solution Page

Product Page

PageBuilder Templates Sprint 2

Home Page

Functional Elements Component Library

Body Components

Right Rail Components

Executive Officers Page

Investor Relations

Right Rail

Add This Plugin:

RSS feeds:

Print This

Ordering bulleted lists

Linking

Editorial Responsibility

Risk assessment

Transparency

Online

Impartiality

Feedback

Embeds

Logos and Credits

Support for Online Sites

Joint Initiatives

Online Links to Third-Party Websites

Impartiality

Where McKesson is the Story

Heading Styles

Company and product names

Abbreviations in company names

Pronouns to refer to companies

Web Publishing Principles

Business Goals

McKesson’s overall business goals are an important factor in what content appears on the corporate site—and how that content is organized.

• Retain current customers in the pharmaceutical distribution and healthcare IT segments
• Up sell and cross sell to existing customers
• Gain new customers, specifically increasing market share in the healthcare IT space
• Position McKesson as a thought leader not just a product and software vendor
• Provide customized information to specific customer and prospect groups
• Reach and engage specific target audiences ‐ for example small physicians offices and small home health care agencies

Site Goals

• Support shifts in sales and marketing trends ‐ more research being done online pre‐salesinvolvement
• Progress to more sophisticated methods of lead generation and lead nurturing
• Provide a more customized user‐centric experience of McKesson.com
• Provide a more seamless experience between the pre‐sales and post‐sales onlineexperiences

Distribution Sales Model

Pharmaceutical distribution is the wholesaler/middleman link in the drug distribution chain. Distributors buy medicines directly from big suppliers like Pfizer and Merck, warehouse them, and then distribute them to the tens of thousands of pharmacies throughout the United States.

Since the mid‐20th century, McKesson has derived a continually growing proportion of its income from medical technology rather than pharmaceuticals. The purchase of medical information systems firm HBO & Company (HBOC) in 1999 solidified McKesson’s position in the healthcare IT arena. McKesson Technology Solutions, as the information technology branch of the company is now known, has continued to grow its market share through acquisitions, notably Per Se Technologies, RelayHealth, and Practice Partner.Both business segments use McKesson.com in the same way to convert potential customers.

McKesson.com Sales Model

Customers complete much of the sales cycle in one‐on‐one interaction with sales rep. The site is used mainly for informational purposes, some lead generation and existing customer support/relationship building. As a result, McKesson.com site primarily provides pre‐purchase information, as well as post‐sale white papers, case studies and thought leadership materials.

Audiences: Because of the focus on product and product category pages, the site content targets the following site audiences: prospective customers and existing customers looking for additional products and services.

User Groups, Behaviors, Characteristics

McKesson has identified three primary business‐to‐business audiences who have a strong interest in learning about McKesson products: prospective customers, existing customers, and browsers. Each audience visits McKesson.com to gain general information, specific product or product category information, or education and support information. We distilled the following customer snapshots from McKesson's user research.

Priority 1: Prospective customers

Prospective customers visit McKesson.com to probe deeper into information that helps them decide on using McKesson as a vendor. They are willing to spend more time on the site to find what they need and may be most motivated to keep exploring by information that differentiates McKesson’s products from their competitors. A disorganized site may frustrate this user and reflect poorly on McKesson as a partner.

Primary behavior

• Qualifying
• Evaluating

Characteristics

• Needs thorough accurate information
• Willing to search long and deep for understanding
• Rather not talk to sales until they have a good idea of what McKesson can do Looks for
• Product overviews
• Cost and contract information
• Competitive research
• Unique value proposition
• Product demos
• Examples of current customers

Search behaviors

• Will chain from page to page, building a conceptual framework of site and products
• Seeks comparative information
• Will compile price, contract, and detail information offline
• May use search box if they can’t find the specific product they are looking for, but only after trying the navigation and self‐identifying as a “provider” then a “hospital” or “physician practice” and trying to find it in those sections first

Priority 2: Existing customers

Existing customers are goal‐oriented and .they seek relevant product support, account, andcontact information that helps them solve a problem quickly. If they don’t get it, they get frustrated.

Primary behavior

• Working
• Seeking functionality

Characteristics

• Task‐oriented
• Short on time and attention: need to get where they’re going quickly and efficiently
• Have little interest in new products or promotions

Looks for …

• Login and account information
• Support information for products already purchased
• Phone numbers for billing‐related questions

Search behaviors

• If he/she doesn’t see the customer login button, might search for how to log in
• Focused searches – task oriented
• Will not engage in lengthy browsing
• Will take the same path through the site each time. Skips past irrelevant material
• Bookmarks frequently used pages

Priority 3: Browsers (Potential Employees, Suppliers, Investors, Press)

Potential employees, press, suppliers, and investors visit the site to learn about McKesson in ageneral way, whether it’s financial information, business segment information, or to look for a job.They tend to browse rather than seek. It’s possibly their first exposure to McKesson, so it’simportant that the site make a good impression.

Primary behavior

• Exploring

Characteristics

• Wants to learn about McKesson
• Has very little company knowledge
• Might have ended up on McKesson.com from a search query
• May be the first experience with our brand as a potential employee, customer, investor,supplier, reporter, etc.

Looks for

• Company overview information, fact sheet, recent press releases
• Lists of products / services offered
• Careers page
• Ticker symbol

Search behaviors

• Might have ended up on McKesson.com from a search query; hits home to figure out where they are
• Scans homepage for featured content as first‐level filter; might dig deeper on occasion, but only if there’s strong information scent
• Not likely to use search box; will rely on navigation and feature on homepage
• Signs up for push information from newsroom; scans upcoming events

Purchase Path

Driving sales and turning users into long‐term customers are key goals of McKesson.com. This section summarizes how the site fits into the purchase path. The purchase path for business customers can vary from extremely long term for capital expenditures (12‐18 months on average) to short term for consumables (within weeks of the initial contact). It is composed of the following phases of activity:

• Awareness: Become aware of McKesson through word of mouth, conferences, or search engine(s). Visit McKesson.com or a business segment microsite.
• Research and Qualification: Research the products and services offered by McKesson and competitors. Compare all options to determine which vendor(s) are a good fit, often with information from sales representatives.
• Decide and Buy: With colleagues and administration, choose the best product or service for the facility, usually including advice from McKesson sales representatives. Negotiate contracts, which lead to ultimate purchase of products or services.
• Plan and Troubleshoot: Create a detailed plan for efficient implementation of the new McKesson product, with minimal disturbance to operations.
• Learn and Maintain: Learn about your McKesson product or service, including case studies and thought leadership. Get product support online to maximize up‐time.

McKesson.com has the most impacton users during:

• Awareness phase, to get familiar with McKesson.
• Research and Qualification phase, to validate that a McKesson is right for their needs.
• Plan and troubleshoot phase, to get post‐purchase case studies and thought leadership materials.

Primary Purpose Trends

Communication Ecosystem Brand

UPDATE INTRO

Brand Idea

For Better Health

Brand Essence

McKesson is in business for better health. Like no other company, we bring together every aspect of healthcare, working with all key stakeholders—from hospitals, physicians, and pharmacists, to payers and pharmaceutical manufacturers—to build better businesses that deliver better care to patients in every setting.

Brand Pillars

We bring healthcare together. As a supplier, advisor and innovator for more almost two centuries, our experience spans all aspects of care.Today, we make better care possible by bringing together all stakeholders to integrate systems, streamline processes and synchronize transactions.Our team of 2,000 highly trained clinicians in our staff of 32,000 brings the insight and expertise to deliver the healthcare of tomorrow.

We make healthcare businesses run better. Everyday our supply chain solutions and our healthcare IT systems keep healthcare organizations operating efficiently and cost-effectively so they can direct more of their financial resources and time to caring for patients. Our cutting-edge technology, software and automation solutions streamline how healthcare operates — reducing waste, improving safety, and giving more patients access to better treatment.

We help you deliver better care. As the largest provider of healthcare services and information technology in North America, we touch the lives of millions of patients every day. Our systems help pharmacies fill prescriptions with greater accuracy and reduce 330,000 medication mistakes a week. We work with hospitals to make medical treatments more precise so care gets delivered more effectively and patients experience better clinical outcomes. We help payers and providers synchronize care protocols, leading to better workflow, lower costs, and better care.

Brand Benefits

McKesson is moving healthcare forward. As a partner to all stakeholders in the industry, we improve the business of healthcare so everyone can focus on what matters most: the health of the patient.

Brand Personality

• CollaborativeBecause McKesson is a company that actively and openly works with all major stakeholders in healthcare, it has the perspective and capabilities to solve the problems no one else can. According to the corporate documentation, the brand promise McKesson seeks to convey to its audiences is:
• Forward Thinking We are bold about healthcare not just because we believe in it but because we have the resources to make it better. Our unique 360º view of the industry allows us to remain 2-3 steps ahead.
• Authentic McKesson is driven by genuine spirit and determination to improve the business of healthcare. We believe in transparency and we endeavor to build trust and confidence in everything we do.
• Experts In the business for nearly two centuries, McKesson knows healthcare. We have the resources, expertise and experience in place to be the trusted adviser and confident problem solvers our customers need to move ahead.
• Optimistic We believe in a better future in healthcare because we have the vision, resources and know how to achieve it. Always championing the bright side, we are determined to help our customers succeed no matter the challenges they face.

Brand Architecture

Stand-Alone Brand / Product Set/Offering / Primary Target Audience / Basis for Separation from Masterbrand
Health Mart / Retail pharmacy products / Independent pharmacies / Competes with retail chain customers
Moore Medical / Med-Surg products / Providers / Competes with Med-Surg
Onmark / GPO / Providers / Separation required by law
RelayHealth / Connectivity solutions / Manufacturers, Providers, Pharmacies, Payers / Works with McKesson as well as Competitors
Sterling Medical Services / Durable medical equipment and supplies / Long-term care providers / Sells to DMEs that compete with McKesson in home care
Sunmark / Personal care products, health and beauty aids / Independent pharmacies / Competes with branded product
US Oncology / Cancer-related pharmaceuticals, / Providers / Being evaluated now
Zee Medical / Med-Surg emergency medical supplies / Employers / Different type of sale to different audience

Naming

1. Generic descriptiveNames use industry-standard terms, and generally cannot be owned on their own. Attachment to the McKesson name helps to place the emphasis on the McKesson brand. For example: “Billing and Tracking” or “Data Center Solutions”
2. Suggestive descriptive Names may include an emotional or functional benefit or point of difference for an offering. For example: TurboTax — easy to understand what the company is offering, and emotional benefit in “turbo”

Research has shown that our target audiences want names that reflect what the product is or does. McKesson business units have limited marketing budgets to build product brand recognition. Business units have agreed to use the McKesson name as the product brand, followed by a descriptive name, in most cases.

Benefits

• Descriptive naming helps grow McKesson’s brand value
• Enables us to leverage our equity to sell products and services
• Reduce marketing and sales costs
• Better enable our customers and prospects to navigate our complex product offerings

Examples:

Generic descriptiveSuggestive descriptive

Data CenterHigh-speed claims
Patient AssistanceCareEnhance Call Center
Pharmacy ManagementPatient Compass

Tone and Voice

Another related consideration is the voice with which your content will "speak." Online tone of voice makes an enormous difference in the way visitors perceive the organization and its messages. McKesson brand guidelines identify the five words the McKesson tone, voice, and personality should embody:

• Collaborative
• Authentic
• Forward‐thinking
• Expert
• Optimistic

Story and Structure

The story McKesson tells about its products and services is the culmination of the site's messaging and its structure – from overall navigation and organization to page‐level priorities. A cohesive messaging and structure strategy drives where content should go on the site, how it should be written and how it should be displayed. Such a strategy will:

• Ensure that McKesson's brand promise, personality, and targeted messages are carried through in all product content
• Inform the recommendations for stylistic consistency, such as how to present features and benefits and how to format calls to action and headlines
• Provide a bridge between prospective and existing customers and McKesson staff,vensuring that Mckesson.com users get the right support to create satisfiedcustomers

McKesson.com Story Structure

Summary of the main messages, voice and tone, and structure of the product sections of McKesson.com 2010 -12

Type of Content / Messages / Voice and Tone / Structure
Product category overviews / McKesson’s products and services can help you provide better patient care, reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and increase profit. / Straightforward. Often stiff and professorial. / Overview of the product category and an in‐line listing of the products contained within that category, plus blurbs or bullets to describe each. Inconsistent per category page.
Product overview / Varies by product/product category. / Varies by product, but generally not cohesive. Often stiff and bogged down by jargon. / There are 4‐5 information structures being used, so product overviews, benefits, features, and specs are never in the same place. Support and education content always live in the right column.
Call to Action / Static call to action:
Call xxx-xxx-xxxx
Request more information
Product‐specific call to action:
Varies / Ranges from rational and passive to emotional marketing appeals. / Static call to action is always in the top righthand column. Product specific calls to action are in line with the product information or lower in the right hand column.

General Guidelines

Writing

1. The visitor must know what the site is about in seconds: Attention is one of the most valuable currencies on the Internet. If a visitor can’t figure out a website’s purpose and what the company does in a few seconds, he or she will probably go somewhere else. The site must communicate why visitors should spend time there, and FAST!
2. Make the content scannable: This is the Internet, not a book, so forget large blocks of text. People visit websites, including McKesson.com, while they are doing other work, so make sure that visitors can scan through the entire content. Bullet points, headers, subheaders, lists - anything that will help readers quickly find what what they’re looking for.
3. Provide accurate contact details. The only worse experience than a website with no contact details, is a site with outdated or wrong contact info that sends visitors on an mystery tour of departments, forms and phone numbers. The consequences of missing or misleading contact information online range from lost revenue, reputation, and time for both visitors and the company.
4. When linking to PDF files, disclose it: Explicitly label links pointing to PDF files so users can handle them properly. Clicking on a link and watching the browser freeze while Acrobat Reader launches to open another (unrequested) PDF file.
5. Separate advertisements from content: Blending advertising such as Adsense units inside content might increase click-through rate in the short-term. In the long run, however, this will reduce your readership base and raise flags with Google. An annoyed visitor is a lost visitor. Running afoul of Google can mean lost link equity or getting banned from results entirely.
6. Avoid “intros”: Don’t force users to watch or read something before they can access the real content. This is annoying, and only the most unique offers will inspire visitors to hang around.
7. Descriptive link text.: It is easier to tell people to “click here”; but this is inefficient and vapid. Always include relevant anchor text in links. It sets expectations for users before they click the link, and it create SEO benefits for the external site where the link is pointing.
8. Avoid long pages: If the user needs to scroll forever to read your content, he or she will probably just skip it. Keep content short, compelling and improve the navigation structure.
9. No spelling or grammatical mistakes: This isn’t a web design mistake, but it is among the important factors affecting the overall quality of a website. Make sure that links and copy don’t have spelling or grammatical mistakes. If you don’t have time or skills to proof your content properly, then hire someone to do it for you. Managing your time and publishing process effectively tends to free up time to proof your work. Delegate proofing to someone qualified and trained to identify and fix errors.
10. Standard date treatment: Except as delineated for a specific site feature, always display dates according to the following format:
    [month][space][two digit day][comma][space][four digit year]
    Example: September 06, 2012
11. Phone numbers: Format U.S. phone numbers like this: XXX-XXX-XXXX. Include the area code but not the 1 before it that some people may have to dial.

Format phone numbers that require extensions like this: XXX-XXX-XXXX ext. XX.