Be an Online Ambassador
It’s not always easy to put yourself out there and develop the online presence that is going to be so essential for the success of your business. If exposing yourself and your ideas to the unwashed Internet masses sounds like a nightmare of privacy concerns and defenselessness, you are definitely not alone. But, counter-intuitive as this may sound, in the end it doesn’t have to be about you. Instead of hiding behind your fear, start thinking about what you can bring to the online round table discussion that is happening at all hours all over the Web. Choose to be an ambassador of your business brand and your personal brand, and watch your online presence really take off. Here are some suggestions as to how to go about it:
Comment on Sites You Love
One of the best ways to contribute online (and, incidentally to really grow your base with people who genuinely like and care about what you do) is to leave valuable, honest comments on sites that you yourself love to visit. Now this doesn’t mean plugging your own products or sites. By all means allow your username to be linked to the site of your choice, but don’t think you always need to be promoting a product or leaving a link in the comment itself. This makes it seem like all you care about is the exposure, when what you really should care about is the topic at hand and the quality of comment you are leaving. Being authentic in this way will promote you to like-minded people all by itself, and before you know it all the veteran commenters of your favorite sites will be fans and promoters of YOU.
Reach Out to Your Followers
Any time anyone leaves a comment on one of your blog posts or approaches you on Twitter or Facebook, make sure to acknowledge them and join in the conversation if applicable. Even just thanking someone for their comment can go a long way toward extending that diplomatic goodwill that you want to cultivate as part of your online ambassador role. Everyone likes to be acknowledged. Remember that!
Look for New Places to Take Your Brand
Try to think outside of your normal haunts when looking to expand your brand. You can really take it to new places just by finding new sites and new like-minded people. And don’t overlook the offline world! Think of ways to partner with existing brick-and-mortar businesses in your area to really give your online brand a kind of exposure that will be unique and also lasting.
