RANT ALERT. (Don’t say I didn’t warn you … )
I cannot count how many times I’ve heard business owners use this phrase:
“Well, you know what they say about the cobbler’s children and their shoes.”
What they’re referring to is the old adage:
“The cobbler’s children never have shoes.”
Meaning, they’re just too busy to invest in themselves or their own brand because they are so busy serving their clients and customers.
Frankly, hearing this excuse really gets under my skin.
Why does this really irk me? Well, first of all, it’s an excuse for a lack of prioritization for your brand, a lack of organization and a sign that the person or company does not see the value of investing in their own growth. Second, it’s a sign that they are losing potential (and possibly current) customers.
Does that sound harsh? It should! I want you to think hard about your brand or the brand of the company you serve. The continual investment into your brand is a long-term commitment that requires time, resources and prioritization.
You’re Making a Bad Impression
If you’re in the business of serving people online (Hint: That’s everyone) your customers are looking at your website, social media channels, online reviews and anything their peers have to say about you online.
Despite this fact, time and again I see organizations make the mistake of not investing in their brand online. Even worse, and quite embarrassingly, are the agencies who tout social media and online marketing as part of the services they offer but fail to invest in these services themselves.
We’ve advised and warned clients not to work with certain agencies due to a lack of proven collateral on their websites and outdated website and social media profiles.
Check Yourself, before You …
Now, I don’t want to incriminate other agencies directly (although maybe that would give them a needed kick in the pants) so I’ll share some vague screenshots to provide you an example of what poorly maintained websites and social media profiles look like, as well as some questions you can ask to QC your own.
Social Media Mistakes to Avoid
- When was the last time you updated your company Facebook page? Twitter?
- Have you added a cover photo to your Facebook page and / or is it stretched out and pixelated?
- Are your social media profiles highlighted on your website?
- On the flip side, has it been so long since you last updated your social media profiles (months, years) that listing them on your website could do more harm than good?
Website Pitfalls
- Have you updated the dates at the bottom of your website to the current year? (We see this rookie mistake ALL the time.) Example:
- Do you have a blog? When was the last time you updated it? (Hint: 2013? 2012? It’s time to update.)
- Have you optimized your website for mobile?
- Is your website search-engine friendly?
The Solution: Treat Your Brand Like It’s a Client.
It’s easy to feel like you need to be everywhere at once. It’s normal to feel like you just don’t have enough time. And possibly, you’ve told yourself that these updates don’t really matter because you have more than enough clients for now. (Yes, there are actually people who think this!)
Whatever the case, if you answered, “No,” to the majority of those social media mistakes and website pitfalls I shared above, it’s time for a change.
One of the priorities we set as a brand from the beginning was to treat Belle Communications as if it were an outside client. It’s difficult and takes a considerable amount of time and resources. Most importantly it has taken dogged determination to keep our brand a priority.
We’ve succeeded for the most part but there are still opportunities to improve. Sometimes projects get pushed off to account for a client need. It happens. However, that’s the exception to our process, not the rule.
Are we at an advantage because we know how to work within the social media and online marketing space?
Sure.
Does it still take a considerable amount of time, energy and commitment?
Absolutely.
Get By with a Little Help.
We share a bountiful amount of resources through this blog. They’re grouped by category in the blog menu at the top of our website. We also share videos each week addressing topics within online marketing, social media, blogging and public relations. You can improve your online and social media presence if you’re willing to make it a priority.
If you really are so busy that you can’t keep up with mandatory mediums, maybe it’s time to enlist help. If you’d like to discuss how our team can assist you in developing a social media or marketing strategy and help you implement it, send me an email.
For the rest of us, let’s make a commitment to treat our brands like they are worth the investment … because if they’re not, it’s time to close up shop.
How do you prioritize your personal or business brand?
~ Kate
