A website is shaped by – and, in some ways, is an extension of – your personal brand. A substantial amount of effort must go into developing your website. Why a website and a not a social media network like Facebook? On your website, you have more control over the message and content. It is the vehicle with which you share your personal brand. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, could all be gone tomorrow – but your website will endure. Your website is one of the most important things you can have to market your brand.
Another reason to have a website as your digital platform is that clients won’t trust you if they can’t find any information on you. A website allows you to communicate information in a controlled way from your point of view and it will build trust.
You need high-quality content on your website. That means more than just “who, what when, and where.” You need to tell site visitors why. Why should clients choose you over competitors? Why are you the best company for the job? Why are your services and products better than someone else’s? These are basic questions that customers and clients expect answers to.
Your website is your hub. Everything comes out of your controlled website and goes to the spokes – which are your social media channels. When I talk about websites, I don’t mean brochure-ware. You need some type of dynamic content that’s focused on your clients.
It’s not at all about you, it’s about providing value.
Guy Kawasaki, a former evangelist at Apple, shared at a recent webinar that there are three forms of value: information, analysis, and assistance.
Information is defined as what just happened. It’s the important things you should know about. Analysis explains the information. Assistance explains how your company can help clients avoid dangerous situations. These types of value should be unique to you and your brand and should have a positive influence.
Examples of value might be: industry news; how you solved a problem; your perspectives on a particular product or service; a safety checklist; or a how-to on a new product or service.
Don’t hide behind your brand. Stand out as a real human being who has faced – and overcome – challenges. Some of you reading this will think that you are not a writer. You don’t have to be Ernest Hemingway – just give it a try. A typical article on the Web is roughly 500-800 words. It doesn’t have to be perfect – grammar-checkers and spell-checkers will help you out. Write from your heart, from your gut. Share a life lesson or a real story and you’ll see how easy it is. Now for those who hyperventilate at the mere thought of writing, try talking into a microphone or creating a video or photography. All of them can provide unique, useful, and valuable information to visitors and potential clients.
