Going Old School with Marketing: Presence

Great people? Check! Flawless process? Check! Ok, so you should be set, right? Maybe not. Think about the bigger picture for a minute. What is it you're trying to accomplish with your online presence? Not to be confused with presents, which are great (feel free to send us some, we're partial to chocolate and gadgets), but we're not talking about that here. If you put a lot of thought into selecting your people and establishing your process, this question should already be answered.

First thing to do, is think about your company's mission and goals. It's important that your presence is an extension of your current business, not it's own alien entity. The more confusing your message is, the more customers are likely to not trust the content. As with everything else, your presence doesn't need to be convoluted or dictated by a 100 page style guide, but something simple in writing is a great foundation.

Next, you want to outline your objectives for the site. Maybe you're trying to fund raise more effectively, build an online community, launch a new product, or just make the world a better place. The clearer your objectives, the easier it will be to map out your project and establish your plan. Once you've outlined the objectives for your presence, you can prioritize their importance.

Finally, it's time to find the best tools that will help you accomplish your objectives. If your main goal is improving customer service, focus on the user experience and implementing the tools needed to provide that service. Worrying about a blog probably isn't really relevant in this case. This is where working with a professional will go a long way. It's the consultant's job to be up to date on all the newest technologies and be able to recommend the best and most cost effective solutions for your project.

When it comes to your online presence, being consistent is key. Stay on track with your company's mission and goals. Spend some time at the beginning really mapping out where you want to be and what you're trying to accomplish. Don't be in a rush to just throw something up because you feel like you're missing out by not having a blog/twitter account or whatever that latest thing may be. Think carefully about the design, the user experience, and focus on infrastructure. In the end it will pay huge dividends, and make all the effort you put into the process and people worth it.