Attend any local chamber or social function, meet somebody new, the first thing asked of you: what do you do?
In this new digital world, it’s getting harder to answer that question because you’re probably doing more than one thing. That’s where your brand, how you package yourself/your business, especially online, becomes important. What do you need to create a personal brand? How do you make the invisible visible?
Create an Audio logo
This is your verbal tagline. Rather than answer the question “what do you do?” with a noun like “I’m an artist” or “I’m a teacher,” you answer with a descriptive statement. For example, with my business, my audio logo is “I am your Geek BFF (best friend forever).” Short, descriptive statement that almost always gets the person who asked you “what do you do?” to explore more about you. And, that’s the point. The more you can share about yourself, about your business, the more opportunity for leads and new customers.
Google yourself
First thing anyone (if they are thinking of doing business with you) is going to do is Google you. Your web presence really matters. What you find or don’t find may surprise you. If you don’t show up on page 1 of the Google search, you need to start taking action to move up the search pages. And only people who know you will search for your name or business name. New customers will search keywords relevant to them. What page do you show up on if potential customers type in keywords?
Get your domain name (as a small biz owner, your personal name and brand matter too)
If you want control over your personal brand, you need to buy the domain name of your own name. For example, I own www.drnancydailey.com and I own www.nancydailey.com. In 1998, I bought the domain names for my husband and all three of my kids. It may be harder today to get your name but you never know. You can check at WHOIS Search and see what domains are available.
Check Yourself
Ask yourself questions like “how am I different?” “how do I want to package myself?” “is my audio logo lame or does it really represent me?” “Is my web site getting me leads or is it just a brochure with no call to actions?”
Are you treating your social media outlets as brand builders? Don’t use them as a “I gotta do something” dump. You only come off as boring. And boring is a death sentence in the social media world. Remember, your social media is your social space where conversations happen.
Get started – take a class
Baby Boomers make up the largest group of new entrepreneurs today. And, social media, digital thinking is new to us. But you gotta use social media and online marketing. So, invest in learning about it. If you are a motivated self-directed learner, there are many YouTube videos and great blogs that can teach you all about social media marketing. If you prefer a more coaching approach, I hold regular Coffee & Social Media Marketing classes for small business owners and professionals in Warrenton, VA. I also do webinars for those who prefer virtual learning. Sign up for my email newsletter or like me on Facebook to keep posted about these classes.
