How to Attract Customer Attention Online

In today?s digital world, small businesses need to attract customers both online and in person. Manage all of your sales and customer relationships with a simple cloud-based CRM like Base.
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Who knows you or who do you know?

The difference is crucial.

You see it?s all very well having a ton of great connections, but if those connections have no real idea who you are, and don?t regularly interact with you, then they are essentially just a worthless distraction.

This particularly holds true for social media.

So how do you go about getting all those online socialites to stand up and take notice?
It all comes down to your image.

In today?s crazy online world, pretty much everyone has some sort of profile and they?re all competing for, fans, followers, likes, tweets and so on ? so YOU need to build YOUR profile in order to get people?s attention and get an edge over the competition.

The Internet is probably the biggest advertising platform there is, and word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool. In order to raise your game ? and your reputation ? you?re going to have to think very carefully how you represent yourself online.

True, online networks are a major player when it comes to reaching a wider audience and growing a global reputation, but you?ve got to be aware that whilst it gives you massive scope and huge reach, it can also mean you?ve got nowhere to hide when things get rough. This makes raising your profile critical ? it gives you much more control over how you want to be perceived, what your message is and what people say about you. If you don?t give people something to go on, they?ll simply fill in the gaps themselves, and that can be bad for business.

So what if you?ve already got a big following on Facebook and co ? think this doesn?t apply to you?

Well I?ve gotta tell ya it does. You see after a while, people forget why they started following you in the first place ? unless you know how to build your presence the right way?

Image is key.

You need to create your own unique identity.

Here?s how.

Be Bold.

Use what makes you unique. Have strong principles and stick to them. Choose and grow the key attributes you want to represent your business. These will form a big part of your identity and they are what you will be famous for.

Be Positive.

No one likes a whiner. Positivity and a ?can do? attitude breeds energy and ideas and makes you likeable. If things get rough stay level headed and rise above it ? it will strengthen your identity in the long term.

Make your website a nice place to be.

One of the aims of your social presence has got to be to get people to your website ? so when they arrive make sure it?s somewhere they?re going to be glad they stopped by. Slick, simple design with quality images and video (but not so big or so many it slows the load time right down), ease of navigation and correct spelling and grammar will all build the impression that you are a professional with an eye for detail and emphasis on user experience.

Get personal.

Proving your human and taking the time to interact with your audience will pay dividends. Always answer comments and respond to posts. Be charming and provide excellent customer service. This kind of direct contact with your target audience is key to boosting your profile. Use narrative and keep them informed ? tell them your story to engage them on a personal level. Champion a relevant cause and show them that you care ? get them involved.

Make quality contacts.

Make friends with your peers ? especially those with influence. Building and maintaining relevant contacts can lead to sharing of information, reaching a wider audience and an increase in traffic and lead generation through cross-referencing and joining forces with other professionals in the same field. This isn?t hard to do either. Simply by interacting on their social networks ? like posting comments or joining groups and making regular contributions ? you will quickly develop a relationship and become associated with them in the minds of others.

Inspire trust

References from respected third parties, positive reviews and glowing testimonials will all encourage your audience to trust you. Be open with them. Freely give them information about you and what you do. Tell them about awards you?ve received or professional organisations you?re a part of. Let them know that you?re keeping it real.
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Building an online reputation takes time, and once you have it in place, managing it is equally important. Whatever identity you create for your business, make sure you have it in place right from the start ready to build on ? and guard it fiercely. Stay true to your message and core values and watch your profile blossom. Your public will thank you for it.

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About James T Noble

James T. Noblel makes small businesses bigger. He's worked with some of the world's largest brands and companies to market their products and services online - including Disney, Microsoft, 20th Century Fox, Virgin, Coca Cola, MTV and many others. Find out more and read business growth tips at http://www.JamesTNoble.com

Source: http://www.futuresimple.com/blog/how-to-attract-customer-attention/

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