“If you’re not online, you don’t exist.” This may be the most important truism regarding visibility in today’s marketplace. Indeed, there are whole businesses dedicated to search-engine optimization, online reputation management, and more. There are even now previously unheard-of careers like digital influencers and brand ambassadors. If you want to remain relevant in the 21st century, you need to be part of this world.
Why It’s Important
Of course, what you do with that visibility is even more important. A web search for your business should affirm its existence and vitals, like its location and contact information. But you must ask what is the real end goal of your business’s web presence?
We’ve already outlined the importance of avoiding a competition on price alone, as that’s a race to the barest margins imaginable. There are online retailers that already specialize in that slog, and it’s not worth fighting with them. The key differentiating factor your business should pursue is your sales and customer service quality. But these are clearly human elements—how does that figure into the Internet, which is seemingly so divorced from human interaction?
Promote You
The first step is to recognize that the schism between what your business’s personability and its online presence can be bridged if you invest the right time and energy into it. This is simpler than it sounds, although this requires thoughtfulness and effort. So, first things first: everything about your company’s website and social media accounts should point your potential clients to speak with you directly. Those vital statistics we mentioned a moment ago, the location and contact information, is a start, but you should aim to give your web visitor a reason to call or stop by. Focus on those differentiators: if you sell a unique product, be loud and proud about the importance of seeing it in person. That’s obvious. But you should also stress the pleasure of your supremely helpful and knowledgeable staff, and how your people will be there to support and educate your customers all throughout the process.
Brave New World
Second, we must appreciate that there is a generation of people who have never lived in a world without the web. To them, texting, social media messages, emailing, sharing pictures, posting updates, and the like are natural. At the simplest level, that means you want your business to have the ability to engage with customers using webforms, email, and online chatting if possible. But this idea goes beyond the one-on-one interactions: online ‘conversations’, public for all to see, are happening all the time, and the savviest businesses make sure they keep in touch with these younger consumers at large. One of the most amusing examples of this is Wendy’s Twitter, which has been smugly responding to online hecklers and feuding with competitors—all in good fun, of course.
Your business’s social media person needn’t be as clever as that account has been, only be as responsive. When customers review your products and services, whether good or bad, your company must engage with them to show the world how you’re a participant in those conversations. That means thanking commenters for their feedback and even offering to make a wrong right when necessary. That all of these interactions are out in the open is ideal, believe it or not: even complaints offer you the opportunity to advertise your customer service.
Customer Service Remains King
Operating a business both in the real world and in the cyber one present different challenges. At the end of the day, however, similar philosophies govern both in that customer service and salesmanship will still be your most powerful tools when it comes to long-term success. For as rapid as change happens these days, especially online, this foundation remains the same. Yes, this is a lot to think about, but we’re here to help!
The Brandt Group has been in business for more than 25 years, and during that time we’ve helped enhance and refine the customer service and sales processes of countless clients. We’re ready to work with you to develop every aspect of your business’s public face, whether that’s at the retail level, over the phone, or online. Need help keeping your online presence personable? Let’s get started today.
