When you use a domain based email address you give your business a higher level of legitimacy and credibility. It says that you care about your image and that you also intend to be around for a while. Purchasing your own domain name is a critical building block for your brand and serves as a foundation for:

• Your Corporate Identity
• Your Email
• Your Website
• Your Social Media Accounts

As mission critical as an online presence is for your business, it’s easy to understand why a business owner might procrastinate when it comes to these tasks.  Online projects can be extremely daunting and it can be hard to figure out where to start!  If you have nothing at all and are in fact using a free email service, I suggest:

• Purchase a domain name!  This is pretty inexpensive and the hardest part will be just finding one.  If at all possible, settle on a .com address.
• Set up your email with a reliable email host, for instance, RackSpace.com.  I would pick one that offers Microsoft Exchange just in case you want to sync up your computer with your mobile phone.  The Microsoft Exchange options saves you time and keeps everything organized and up-to-date.
• Get a website.  I would suggest the WordPress platform.  It’s the best solution for beginning websites and has the power and functionality to grow with you.
• Set up your Google Places page.  This is a surefire way to get on the first page of a Google search results page.  If someone in our community enters a search term that applies to your business, your company will be listed as a local search result.  It’s better than the Yellow Pages!
• Set up Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin accounts.  The sooner you can get started on these projects, the better.  This process is time consuming and the results can take some time before they are visible to you, but your efforts will be rewarded.

If you are convinced that an online presence is needed to reinforce your brand, but you lack the time or the desire to learn everything you need to get started, don’t despair.  I’m here to help!  Just get started with a domain name and a branded email address, it will do wonders for your business. Remember, an online presence doesn’t happen overnight, but it won’t happen at all if you don’t get started.  Contact me today!

How can you increase the results and control the quality of your Google results? Blogging and Social Media give you the biggest potential hit for increasing the number of entries when searching your name or your business name:

• Blog posts
• Blog comments made on blogs other than your own
• Your tweets on Twitter
• Your Facebook profile
• Your LinkedIn profile
• Your YouTube videos
• Your Foursquare profile
• Items other people have written or posted about you or your business

As you can see, there are dozens of ways to increase your relevancy on the web. It does take work and dedication but the good news is that you can see the result! More importantly, your customers will see the result. Don’t have the know-how or the time? Let me help with your website creation and social media projects. I can set them up and teach you how to maintain them or I can do it for you!

How many of your customers are on Facebook and are you missing an opportunity to connect with them? Even if social media doesn’t trip YOUR trigger, it does have an effect on a segment of our customer base. Remember, every one of us is different and we are touched and impressed in different ways.

At a bare minimum your social media plan should include Facebook. If you haven’t considered it, please do so now. Don’t know how? I’m happy to help! Promoting your business takes diligence, and Facebook is just one more tool for your marketing toolbox!

*Information obtained from digitalbuzz