Home page for a B2B site

I am designing the landing page for a B2B site and want to demonstrate the steps involved in using the product with images. For example, if the sequence of events is 1) User emails us something 2) The system processes this information 3) The user can retrieve the report.

I want to represent these 3 steps with the help of cartoon characters.

Does this look less serious for a business to business site? Any thoughts on how to represent this workflow (I don't want to use a video). I looked around the web for ideas and didn't come across any site that exactly aligns with what I am trying to do.

First-- In General Cartoons characters can be very effective for simply communicating a clear message to a target audience that appreciates the cartoon aesthetic.

Think about the generation, age, and experience of your target market -- specifically the purchasing agent at the business you are seeking to sell your product to. If they overlaps a generation, age and experience that would likly appreciate a cartoon. It might be good to test that assumption with some people from the group.

There are times that the complexity of the product necessitates a marketing approach which "simplifies" -- through the use of a cartoon images. the viewer experiences the simple drawings and clear drawings (yes, I know that not all cartoons are simple or clear drawings) as representing a product that is simple and clear. (Think about the white board drawings of UPS trying to convince those of us responsible for complicated logistics scenarios that using them will make it as simple as a black line on a white board.)

More often then not the "clever marketing idea" that is developed by the designer works for the designer -- but is "too cleaver by half" for the target market. Remember, it doesn't matter if you find the site interesting -- the issue is whether the prospective customer gets what they want and need to make an informed purchasing decision.

Back to You Okay- now to the specific of your landing page. I understand that your service will make it easy for me to get a report. Something that I would normally have to spend lots of time and energy on. i would have to open software and . . . blah blah blah --- now all I have to do is email something to you and you will email me back the report I need. Sounds like two steps for me -- me sending you something and then me receiving my report. What happens behind the emerald curtain is irrelevant to me -- Is the report what I wanted or not? That could be clearly communicated with cartoons -- or it might be a little much. Without knowing a lot more specific information about the particular system processesing and target market a more definitive solution would be impossible.

I think its no problem. There are few b2b's around using animated graphics. I think it is a trend actually.

We had the same goals and reckon that we accomplished them on our site: http://www.getvetter.com We were heavily 'influenced' by the graphics on http://www.evernote.com