It is very easy to dismiss the need to brand yourself and then your business when you have a small business.
After all, it is really only important for big businesses right? How wrong, in fact it is just as essential to brand yourself and your small business with the same diligence.
Small online businesses are one of the fastest growing segments on the world-wide business scale.
The internet means you are marketing not only to your own community but to the world.
It follows then that your competitors are not only just local but also from around the world.
Shopping on the internet can at first seems faceless and scary for potential buyers.
They are not only looking to see what you have to offer but at a subliminal way they are searching for the person behind the site.
This fact needs some consideration.
Yes, your potential buyers are also interested in you.
They need to trust you to buy from you.
At the end of the day it is the old adage of, People do Business with People They Trust.
Many underestimate the importance of self branding, especially when they work on the internet.
You need to think of yourself as the CEO of your own company.
It is actually even more essential to have a You Inc presence.
So, some information helps, like, who are you, what do you represent? You do not need to go overboard here; this does not need to be extensive or invasive.
Make sure any social sites that you are on, like Facebook, portrays the right image.
You will be amazed who looks at these pages not just friends and family but potential customers and competitors.
The same goes for your business sites.
If people cannot see you physically so they need to know what your site is about.
Ask is it professional but at the same time feel welcoming.
Some questions to consider are: 1.
Does your site reflect the right image? 2.
Is it easy to navigate? 3.
What differentiates your site from your competitors? 4.
Why should a buyer do business with you? 5.
If buyers need to contact you by email does your email form and response text reflect your branding? 6.
If you need to ring customers ensure you know what to say before you ring so you can sound confident and competent.
Branding is everything from presenting yourself, to your business frontage such as the business site to your business cards.
Make you and your business highly distinguishable from all the others.
Get this right and you will not only make a sale but best of all referrals and repeat business.