Creative Ways to Build an Online Brand Presence

A few days ago, we came across an interesting article on Mashable.

By the way, do you guys read Mashable? It’s an excellent resource for news articles regarding technology, social media, and marketing.

So we found this article, “10 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Build Brands Online”, that lists off several inventive tactics for establishing on online brand presence. Everyone knows about the internet, so the majority of small business owners know that they should have a website. Furthermore, many entrepreneurs also have a Facebook or perhaps even a blog. But at this point, that stuff is pretty much old news. This article digs deeper, suggesting a few innovative ways to dive into the online community. We’ll elaborate upon a few of our favorites:

Social Media Email Signatures:

Consider embedding links to your social media profiles in your email signature. It’s a valuable strategy not only because it’s unique and attracts attention, but also because the links provide instantaneous information about you to the recipient. It’s not necessary for them to open up a new browser window to search for you on Facebook or Yelp! – they have access right at their fingertips, making them much more likely to view your profiles and learn a little more about your personality and your business.

QR Codes:

We know you’ve seen them around. The strange little barcodes on store windows, print advertisements, and movie posters – those are QR codes. Smart phone users can download an application which allows them to ‘scan’ these codes, much like the scanner at the grocery store.Once they scan the code, the internet browser on the phone will open and take them to a website. The company can choose to link them to their original website, a condensed version of their site, a video, a promotion flyer – anything they wish. Again, this is an innovative and fun way to draw traffic to your online brand presence.

Create a Newsletter:

As the article says, creating a newsletter is an excellent way to build up a network. If people like what you have to say, they will share that information with others, and, hey, all of the sudden you are building brand awareness! One important tip: make the newsletter interesting! You can assume that everyone you email has an inbox that is absolutely inundated with material, so they will not take the time to read your newsletter if it doesn’t entertain them. Informational materials about your services are not essential reading material – consumers must choose to read it. The only way to hook them is by creating engaging content that makes the read enjoyable. Don’t be afraid to express a little personality. That is, after all, what people like to read. They want to know about you and the character of your business. A newsletter is a superb outlet for conveying character. Plus, it’s not necessary for you to print it! Keep costs low with an email newsletter.

Still confused about those crazy QR codes? How can you start developing your brand personality? It can be hard to dive in to the unknown. Whether it’s graphics, programming, SEO, or content writing – we can build your business within the online community. So give us a call and let’s enhance the personality of your brand.

First Impressions

How well do you understand how others perceive you and your business?

It’s undeniable – first impressions can make or break your future with a new client. Within that initial meeting, you are not only presenting yourself but also expressing the personality of your business as a whole. You are serving as the ‘face’ of all that your company stands for. Not a big deal, right?

Though it seems intimidating, an effective first impression can be achieved with some thought and a little practice. An interesting article on BusinessSphere.com discusses how a warrior makes a good impression – there are a few great points that can be applied to that first meet up with a potential client.

First, choose your battleground. Have that first meeting in an environment that will be conducive to your intended message. What services are you providing? What type of atmosphere best suits those services? Consider both formal and informal environments and decide which is most indicative of both your business style and what is necessary for that particular project. Coffee, lunch, conference room, or drinks – there are several arenas to choose from.

Next, relax. Abandon yourself, fear nothing. “When creating the first impression, don’t force the issue. Just be. Relax so that you can think clearly on the how.” True, the client is there to hear about the capabilities of your business, but they also want to know about you. Business is always better when you enjoy the company of those working with you. So try to loosen up a little and give them a smile that isn’t rehearsed – they will notice.

Remember, discard everything that is unnecessary. Potential business associates are not interested in being inundated with the finest details at this point. Things can be perfected and ironed out later. Again, this is the first impression – show the client what you are capable of without stuffing your sentences with jargon of the trade. They know you are the expert, there is no need to make a show of it. Give them the prettiest version of the basics. You can still show your capabilities without overwhelming them at such an early stage.

With a little effort, your business will be able to create a memorable experience for sales prospects. Show them that you will be a great firm to work with. Exhibit confidence and you will earn some in return.

Quick, hide! Technology is coming!

At Left Handed Productions, our primary clients are small business owners. In 2009, there were 27.5 million businesses in the United States according to the Office of Advocacy, so you can imagine that small business owners come in all different shapes and sizes with unique preferences and techniques.

A common theme across this sizeable group, however, is technophobia: the fear or dislike of advanced technology, especially with computers. If you’ve owned your business for two years, technology has evolved and progressed rapidly in that short amount of time. But what if you’ve owned your business for ten, fifteen, even twenty years? Is this even the same planet anymore?

Technology has drastically changed the way you operate your business. Consumers expect a surplus of information to be provided to them through technological avenues – your company website, a mobile app for smart phones, via social networking accounts, etc.

Your business no longer exists only within the confines of your office property.

Consumers are interested in you – they want to be able to access information about you 24/7.

This amount of exposure can be quite intimidating. How can you maintain a positive reputation and branding strategy for your small business when everyone is always watching? Is it easier to just refrain from jumping on this tech train and stick to traditional brick and mortar practices? “I don’t even know what twitter is!”

Professor of psychology Dr. Mark Brosnan discussed “technophobia” and its’ effect on students with MSNBC in 2010. "Anxiety sensitive people, who may have technophobia, often think of themselves as failures or that they are stupid, but everyone has different strengths and weaknesses," states Brosnan.

So how does this apply to you and your business?

Do feel that you are taking complete advantage of the technological opportunities that are readily available to you? Or do you avoid them because they are of such a foreign nature?

Blogging and twitter and Facebook….oh my! (anyone else seen the Wizard of Oz?) Sometimes unfamiliarity with and lack of exposure to social media in our personal lives can translate over to business and turn out to be incredibly detrimental.

LHP can help you and your business develop and maintain an online presence that will serve as the link between your company and the sea of customers searching for information online. Never used Facebook? That’s ok. We can show you how to use online mediums to effectively connect with potential clients.

Have you ever had the opportunity to communicate your business to millions of people every day?

It’s here. Don’t miss it. And who knows? You may even enjoy it. :-)

We Moved!

The last few weeks have been busy at LHP – busy even for us. Why?

Because we were moving into our new office!

Don’t worry, we didn’t move too far. The new office is a little over a mile away from our previous location in downtown Gilbert. Conveniently located just west of Gilbert and Guadalupe, our roomy new space will allow us to better serve all the small business owners in the East Valley. So – come check out our new pad! If you haven’t used our services before, now is a great time to stop in and see what we have to offer.

761 N. Monterey St. Suite 102

Gilbert, AZ 85295

(480)398-4206

See you soon!

-The LHP Team