THINK

How does your website stand up against your competition’s?

Does it play well with your social marketing sites?

A website can just sit there like a dusty can on a shelf. Or, it can be a vivid expression of what you want your business to be and how you want it to compete with others. More and more small to mid-sized companies are realizing that how they express themselves online is crucial to how well they perform in today’s economy. Increasingly today’s messaging isn’t about shouting louder, it’s about speaking smarter. This means targeting the message and the medium to the right audience. Online, you can.

There was a time when websites were a luxury for businesses. Today they are as necessary as a phone number and logo. Now that websites are mainstream, people expect every business to have one. And what’s more, potential customers use them. So your website should not only properly represent your business and its capabilities, it is also critical that your website performs for you and outperforms your competition.

To make sure your web presence has full impact, you might have to move beyond your url. This gives your audience the chance to encounter you in more than one place on the web. Welcome to social marketing. That’s right, the online world didn’t sit still and, while we watched, applications like Facebook and Twitter entered the online social scene, grew to mainstream status and finally penetrated the business market. In fact, there are companies that rely completely on their websites and social marketing to promote their business — successfully.

Everyday millions of people are shopping online and comparing competing companies. Many of the companies being surfed don’t even know how many sales are clicking out the door. Since it all happens online, it‘s easy to fall asleep at the wheel while the competition racks up.

One amazing thing about your online presence is that it works while you are awake, and while you are asleep. It is critical that you create the right tool and the best experience for your customer . A properly designed online presence can be your best, most reliable employee. It can qualify leads, drive sales, attract phone calls and inspire in-store visits. It will consistently do whatever you have set it up to do, all day and all night long. It costs less than an entry level sales associate and does much, much more.

Your online properties must work together. And, depending on which applications you employ — Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. — you will need to do your part. That means spending some time communicating with your customers, answering questions, offering them advice and offering deals. With proper execution, the return will be in your customer relations and in your bottom line. Consider your online presence to be your ship. Pick a great captain and watch your tools perform.

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For more information on websites and social marketing, contact thinkwebstore.com at (601) 856-2000, visit www.thinkwebstore.com or find them on Facebook and Twitter @thinkWEBSTORE. Located next to Primos Cafe on Lake Harbor Drive in Ridgeland, Think Webstore is a leader in online presence in the Jackson metro area. Their services include website design, social marketing, hosting, logos, search engine optimization and graphic design.