With online presence fast becoming the most important means for delivering brand awareness, we all need to study our own personal presentations the way people, both friends and strangers, are viewing us.  I don’t know about you, but the better part of my time at the computer is spent googling companies and people.  Now I’m using LinkedIn more than I ever thought possible.  Are we positioning ourselves effectively to get where we want to be?

We all know people who swear they don’t need social media to succeed in business, and perhaps you are one of those people.  If you have as many clients as you can possibly handle and don’t need to market yourself to draw new business, then you can probably avoid positioning you and your company through online exposure.  And, good for you, but you’re definitely in the minority!

S. J. Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm working primarily with staffing and recruiting companies.  They list five critical needs for effectively positioning your company online, regardless of the nature of your business:

  1. Find what differentiates you from competitors in order to properly position yourself.
  2. Always create content that is valuable to your target audience.
  3. Use key words that your target audience would use to search for your services.
  4. Know where your target is online and be where they are.
  5. Share content through all online resources.

Last year someone I did not know called to inquire about my services.  She had just started a new solo law practice and was proud to tell me that she had a domain, an office, and a phone.  Now she needed clients.  I cautioned her to slow down a bit.  She first needed to brand herself and establish an online presence.  What do most people do when they are retaining new services?  They check the provider out by going to the website.  So, we worked with this wonderful and soon-to-be successful attorney to create a logo, cards, and a website.  Interestingly, the three things she so proudly had, in the beginning, changed.  She has a new domain, a new office, and a new phone number.  And now she also has clients! I refer to Cindy Hill Commercial Real Estate Law.

Cindy Hill logo

Another person who has profoundly impressed me with his online presence is Jerry Wilmink, founder and CEO of WiseWear, a fashion tech hybrid company that creates innovative luxury wearables.  Jerry connected with me through LinkedIn.  Because of my business interest in healthcare, I took the time to learn more about Jerry and his company, accepted his invitation and sent a message.  Upon learning more through a phone conversation, I asked him to be a speaker at our Healthcare Think Tank meeting.  He wowed the audience, including the editor of SA Woman magazine who was at the meeting.  He’s featured in the January/February 2016 edition of SA Woman.  Almost all of the online presence that WiseWear has created is through social media, which has produced enormous results.  Jerry was also a huge hit at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show.  Through his social media campaign and his CES participation, he has been featured on numerous major television shows and magazines.  See for yourself by googling WiseWear.

wisewearlogo

Jane Doe’s month two report – “Temptation is everywhere, and is not going away. I must continuously ‘play the tape forward’ to remind myself what it looks like when I start drinking. I’m amazed at how much clearer work, personal life, family and community are when my mind is clear. So much more can be accomplished sober! Have I slipped? Yes – in a small way, but it is truly ‘one day at a time’. I just get right back to an AA meeting, prayer, meditation, and reinforcement to myself about all of the many reasons not to drink – or die.”