When it comes to getting your business recognized, most people immediately think of a website… which is great as TDD designs top notch websites!
However, there are other ways to build your online following and increase your online "brand".
Social networking and blogging sites can help you extend your business into a world many think belong to the teenagers and "20 somethings".
Sites like Twitter, Facebook and mySpace can help increase your brand awareness and also help keep your clients informed about your business or upcoming events.
For those that do not know, Twitter is a micro-blogging site where you have to communicate your message in 140 characters or less. People who follow you on Twitter then receive your "tweets" (or messages) in a variety of ways they have chosen, typically via a text message to their phone. Followers can also view your tweets online on their Twitter page. Twitter is a free service and messages typically range from pure business to more along the social aspect of people's lives. For example, my Twitter feed (twitter.com/jasonturcotte) does both.
There are some creative uses for Twitter… the Mars Phoenix Lander project is using Twitter to broadcast various announcements about the state of the project as if it was the Phoenix itself sending the messages. They are providing the Lander with a virtual personality, making it more interesting to learn about than just straight science talk.
Facebook is another way to get your online message out there. I use my Facebook page to not only keep in touch with friends, but also to publicize upcoming TDD events like our Press Release Seminars. When posted on Facebook, the events are provided to a public list where anyone looking for something to do in the area can stumble upon the event.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when using these social networking tools as part of your marketing arsenal.
First - They can be addictive and not always productive. These tools were originally meant to be fun, and usually are. You could find yourself easiy distracted and constantly checking your Facebook page or sending/replying to Twitter posts all day. Set some boundaries.
Second – Define a clear scope of what you wish to accomplish with social networking. This may seem obvious, but I constantly run into people that do not necessarily have a scope in mind when dealing with "real world" advertising like newspaper or other print media. They just "do it" and hope it works.
Third – Keep in mind what you do and say will reflect on you. If you are the type that likes to post the pictures from this weekend's "Techies Go Wild" party on your Facebook page, then it might not be the right strategy to use that same account for your business advertising. Think twice.
There are dozens of other sites and ways to leverage social networking to your business' advantage. I recommend checking them out (Google "social networking sites" for starters) and seeing which ones may fit into your online branding/marketing campaigns.
Oh yeah, if you want to follow my Twitter feed you can find me at twitter.com/jasonturcotte or on my Facebook page by clicking the image below:
