It is a brand new year and it’s time to clean out the closets, get rid of the cobwebs, and toss the unnecessary baggage. Can you think of a better time to start fresh? Optimism is high, you’re recharged, and it’s time to put your business on the front burner & make it shine!
A great place to start is your company’s public persona. Put a smile on your face, put yourself out there, and connect!
With an ecommerce site, how your business connects and engages online is extremely important in the creation of your public persona and your overall success. This is not something that simply happens overnight; however, with some persistence, patience, and creativity, you could be up and moving by the end of the month.
Here are a few basic suggestions that can help get you started:
Audit Your Reputation
Hopefully, this is something you are doing on a regular basis, if not Ragen’s PR Daily suggests you start now. They suggest searching terms such as “I hate COMPANY NAME” or “COMPANY NAME sucks,” on multiple search engines, social media outlets, including LinkedIn and Google+, the Better Business Bureau, and Glassdoor. Do not just check on the company, search employees as well.
Based on the results from the searches, you can begin to design a strategy that reflects your vision, your mission, and your goals.
Plan & Prepare:
1. Don’t ignore the power of content.
You need to grab someone’s attention, draw them in, and motivate them to share with others – relevant, high-quality, and useful content is how you can accomplish these things. Effective social listening and keyword research can help you create blog posts that your audience will love. Creating a content calendar will allow you to plan ahead & be prepared.
2. Learn more about your audience.
The more you know about your audience, the better you can identify their problems and provide solutions. Know where your audience lives, not just geographically, but online as well. If you’re spending your time posting on Twitter, but your audience is engaging on Facebook, you’re missing out on opportunities. Make sure you pay attention, not only to what social platforms they’re using, but also to how they’re using them.
3. Open the door & invite communication.
You need to invite the online community in and engage them in meaningful conversations. Ask them to provide feedback and write reviews. If you receive negativity, never hide it; instead, be proactive and address the issue in a positive manner.
Negative feedback, directly or indirectly, is unavoidable. Simply being aware that it’s out there is your best weapon of defense.
Have An Emergency Plan
In the event you fall victim to negative feedback, you should have an emergency plan of action to address the issue immediately and effectively. The best plan starts with a spokesperson, who is equipped to act both quickly and positively. A good rule of thumb is to be proactive and have a list of talking points that address the negativity in general. Although this may sound silly, being prepared is the best defense, so practice, communicate, and update regularly.
Remember, honesty really is the best policy and offers your best chance at success.
Become Social Media Savvy
You need to become social media savvy. In today’s world, social media outlets deliver news instantly and you have a unique opportunity to get your voice heard and participate in the conversations happening around you and your products. Plain and simple, you are your business, and no one else knows more about it than you. Let your passion and expertise shine when interacting with fans.
If you planned ahead and prepared, then you know who your target audience is and where they are – all you have to do is go get them. Social media is a way to reach out and get personal with the people who use your products and are familiar with your brand. It also has the potential to draw in new customers.
This is not you giving a sales pitch. It’s you talking about what you know and sharing insights that are valuable to readers. Make a list of possible topics (don’t forget to reference your content calendar during the process) and develop a schedule that you can comfortably follow. Try posting once or twice a week and build on your success.
As you move forward, you can continue to build a solid reputation by landing an article, where your business is mentioned (possibly featured). In addition, you can begin publishing blog posts related and relevant to your industry, issue press releases, and email local reporters to pitch a story that highlights why your business is unique. We suggest subscribing to Help A Reporter Out. It is free and offers you the chance to pitch a story or become a resource on topics for reporters.
Another great opportunity to solidify a positive image and earn respect is radio & television interviews. The easiest way to make this happen is to identify your niche, become an expert in your field, and then pitch the idea to radio and television outlets. For example if you run an online clothing store, consider an interview about current fashion trends for the upcoming season.
Another effective and relatively easy way to build the public’s perception of your business is to get involved in the community. Connect with what is going on and become part of making a difference. Doing things such as giving back and responding to community need, can increase awareness of your brand and showcase your reliability, while laying the foundation for trust and respect.
Don’t let your brand go stale - take advantage of these few, easy suggestions to start putting your best foot forward in 2015!