Have you noticed how the face of business has turned online. In the past getting your name out as a business was easy, hire an ad agency, get a billboard, simple. Now with the volume of companies competing online it’s becoming more difficult for businesses to stand out. When everything was more local, many businesses were the only option for customers to get what they need, so customers would come to them, all they had to do was be open. Now, with all the options open to people, companies have to reevaluate the way they sell. They have to give prospective customers a reason to select them from the unending choices. Having a strong online presence is a great way to do this, here are a few ways.
Becoming Mobile
Mobile devices are becoming a lot more common. People carry these to make their lives easier as they can stay connected to their business and personal lives.. This makes commuting valuable working time rather then dead time. Unfortunatly many regular sites aren’t very readable on a mobile device because of this many businesses have mobile sites. They retain the companies branding while making it possible for faster, easier navigation on a mobile device. Mobile site makes your company more easily accessible to consumers.
Social Sites
Social sites, like Myspace, started off just social. However when Facebook came about it had a far more utilitarian interface and business caught the social site bug. Nearly every business you can find has a Facebook page. Social sites allow companies to share fun and interesting content that is relevant to their industry with prospective clients, which creates an online community. Recently Google unveiled its business pages. This walk-though will show you how to build a Google business page. Social sites allow for such a noninvasive interaction between business and consumer I see the future of social sites as all business.
On-line Education
Providing something educational for prospective clients is a great way to develop trust. A couple of ways companies can do this is through webinars and blogs. You have probably noticed the growing popularity of blogs. Companies can stand out from their competitors by showing their extensive knowledge in their field with on-line education.
Most people like to visit a local shop where the owner works behind the counter. This is still available to us but that shop probably has an online presence even if it’s a small one. It can’t be denied that businesses are not just street facing but Web facing as well. Being open to the changing face of business will make you a more informed consumer and/or business owner. Read this article to learn some great reasons for creating an on-line presence.
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