10 Tips For Building Your Online Presence

“It’s easy to build a site in 30 days”
“Zero to one million in less than a month”
“Become an Internet guru and build the lifestyle of your dreams”

You see those kinds of headlines all over the place. Enticing copy that tells you its super easy to build a site, all you need is a couple hours a day for a month and you’ll be making six figures a month.

Is this really possible?

Well from my experience, I would have to say no. I’m sure it has happened occasionally to a few lucky souls, but for most of us it takes hard work and commitment.

So what does it take for the rest of us?

1. Start with the basics. A child learns to crawl before she walks. As a business owner, you have to learn the basics before you become more advanced. If you don’t have a website, start one. If you don’t blog, start. There’s nothing better than a little experience with a tool.

2. Don’t be perfect. I’ve known several people that never get their website up online because its never quite the way they want it. So they go months – even years – without a new site because it isn’t quite the way they want it. Online the only thing that matters is having a presence. Start with a few pages and build from there. The most important thing is to have your information out there for people to find.

3. Tweaking is mandatory. Now that your site is online – tweak away. Don’t like a photo. Change it. Want to add a new promotion? Add it. Your site is meant to change on a regular basis. With a phone book or an advertisement, you’re stuck. But your website you can change daily if you choose.

4. Try something new. What’s a blog and can it really help my business? The only way to find out is to do it. Technology is affordable and easy to do. So jump in and give it a try.

5. Start setting up strategies to keep yourself up to date. Things change daily online. And the only way to keep up with it is to get out there and experience it. Attend a teleclass. Work with a coach. Sign up for an ezine. Make a commitment to learning something new each week.

6. Look. Listen. Learn. Have you ever read a magazine and found an ad with a website that sounded intriguing? Or watched television and heard someone rattle off a web address? Do you follow through with it and look at the site? This is one of the easiest ways to find new ideas and services.

7. Ever get an email asking you to join a group? I get those every week. And I usually join them. I’ll spend a few minutes searching through the site to see if it has any real value – then I sign up. At the least I’ve secured my name and presence in that site. And I may have found a dynamic tool that will really help grow my business.

8. Program your time. I get up in the morning, check email, do a little research and surfing the net, write some posts, and then start my day. I can do a ton of networking online in under an hour every day. It’s my schedule. What’s yours?

9. Ask a kid what they like to do online. You may be surprised at the answer. Then go out and follow their advice. I find a lot of cool sites by listening to the younger generation.

10. You don’t have to have a website, right? Well, maybe. If you start a blog and make a commitment to using social sites, you can build up your name pretty quickly. Are you promoting you or your business? Sometimes a business may still need a site. But there is a ton of places you can build and grow. The important thing is to just get started.

Want more personalized advice? I’ve been working with several clients helping them build their online presence . I’d love to help you too.