Regardless of your business, the competition is always fierce - so why do so many companies neglect their digital presence?
Or maybe they really are trying to present themselves effectively, and are simply failing?
It’s easy to find examples of marketing excellence, marketing train wrecks ... and all points in between.
So where do you sit on a scale from hero to zero?
You’ll know that informed buyers constantly check you out online along with every other competitor, so they no longer need to ask you for information, because you’ve already provided it on your website … haven’t you?
Salespeople have ceased to be road warriors. And leaving Covid aside, the need for business travel has been massively reduced over the last decade by technology. Smart salespeople are now masters of LinkedIn, digital messaging, Zoom, and all the competing collaboration platforms.
Marketing is the new frontline … the business shop window where a credible digital presence is essential.
So what should you focus on, and where are your Red Flags and looming marketing train wrecks needing urgent attention:
Your Digital Presence … is it letting you down?
Your digital presence is principally your website and your social media profile. Does your website demonstrate credibility and thought leadership, or does it do the very opposite?
Do you talk about the customer issues and challenges you solve, or do you simply describe the services you offer, making your site all about me, me, me? How well written is it, and how well structured is the site navigation? People’s time is precious and they’ll almost certainly give up on you if your site lacks empathy, is badly written and is hard to follow.
Your LinkedIn profile reveals much about your attention to detail. Most are more like CVs than a description of the value you offer. Have you looked at the best LI profiles and applied the learning?
Your LinkedIn profile might be professional, but what are your other social media profiles like? Are they full of conflicting content, with chat box arguments and images of wild parties, and if not why not?? Just kidding … and we should all be aware that ‘business stalking’ by customers, purchasers, and recruiters is really not that hard to do.
Are you a Thought Leader?
The use of blogs and insights on your website show you're aware of current market issues and challenges. Such content can be posted and shared on social media platforms, bringing prospects to your website.
Thought-provoking opinion pieces and articles show you are in touch with the market, and the dynamics that affect it. Don’t be afraid to be controversial, and try to deal with thorny, difficult areas that others may avoid. You should also ensure date-stamped content is reasonably up to date.
And for heaven's sake make the content interesting and readable. Announcing to the world that you’ve just won an award or big contract isn’t a blog, and frankly - it’s about as dull as it gets! Investing in content creation will put you ahead of your competition, who probably won’t have bothered?
Do you think this boosts your profile and helps people remember you in the future when they need your services? You bet it does … demonstrating thought leadership builds credibility, and we buy from people we trust.
Do you have Case Studies and Testimonials?
You may have a great website, but do you have recent and credible proof of delivery and capability? Case studies and testimonials show clients that you do more than talk a good game. Case studies are usually non-existent or out of date, because they take time and effort to create.
Salespeople are always asking for new case studies to help them win business, but they’re slow at helping marketing create them in the first place. Ask satisfied customers if they’d be prepared to help you with a case study, and if possible, build customer commitment to a case study into the commercial arrangements if they are pushing you for a hefty discount!
Are you always building your network?
LinkedIn has become the ‘de facto’ business social media platform, with over 610 million members and 90 million influencers and decision-makers worldwide. Search features within the platform enable you to identify specific people and job functions in your sector.
Are you a member of a Business Network? Groups of like-minded business people who value building relationships. Any opportunity to build your network should be taken because business comes from all areas and often from the least expected sources.
Do they know you exist?
Once you’ve built and extended your contact base, and you’re armed with new thought leadership content and case studies, you’re ready to raise your business profile. You should share your hyperlinked web content on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter etc, to create awareness and build your brand.
It’s a cyclical process … build your contact base, create some compelling content, share it with your network, all the while continuing to build your contact base, creating additional compelling content, and …… yep, you get the picture.
If you need any help creating copy or content, please contact me: 07802 244262 or jporter@elevencircles.com