Whether you like it or not, regular business negotiation is a reality. Personal and business relationships are built on negotiation. In fact, successful negotiation can be the difference between your business succeeding or failing.

Over a career working in marketing agencies, I have learnt — mainly by doing the wrong thing at the time — how to be a better negotiator. There is no one size fits all approach to negotiation, but there are some mandatories that I try to stick to.

 Negotiating is a natural part of business. Don’t take the process personally or be easily offended. Good negotiating is about finding a mutually favourable position that both parties are prepared to accept.

 Absolutely everything is negotiable. Challenge everything and be prepared to state what it is you want in an assertive, yet not aggressive way. As the old saying goes ... Continue reading]]> Whether you like it or not, regular business negotiation is a reality. Personal and business relationships are built on negotiation. In fact, successful negotiation can be the difference between your business succeeding or failing.

Over a career working in marketing agencies, I have learnt — mainly by doing the wrong thing at the time — how to be a better negotiator. There is no one size fits all approach to negotiation, but there are some mandatories that I try to stick to.

1. Don’t take it personally

 Negotiating is a natural part of business. Don’t take the process personally or be easily offended. Good negotiating is about finding a mutually favourable position that both parties are prepared to accept.

2. Have the mindset that everything is negotiable

 Absolutely everything is negotiable. Challenge everything and be prepared to state what it is you want in an assertive, yet not aggressive way. As the old saying goes ‘if you don’t ask you don’t get’.

3. Do your research

 Research widely in great detail before you enter any negotiations. Good research should identify the going rate for the products or services you are looking to sell or purchase. It will also enable you to identify alternate providers for you to benchmark your primary negotiator against.

4. Don’t move first

Wherever possible don’t be the first to put a position on the table. Being the first to name your price risks giving away more than is necessary. Your fellow negotiator may be prepared to go lower than your first offer, but by opening first you lose this opportunity.

5. Aim higher or lower than you are prepared to accept

 Always ensure your first offer is either much lower than you are prepared to purchase for or much higher than you are prepared to sell for. This gives you plenty of room to negotiate back.

6. Don’t be in a hurry

 Negotiating on a tight timeframe will put you at a major disadvantage. Negotiation takes time, if you are pressed time-wise to close the deal, you may be forced to accept less favourable terms. Under no circumstances should you negotiate against yourself by reducing your offer before receiving a response from your fellow negotiator.

7. Study your fellow negotiator and listen carefully

The better you understand your negotiator, the more likely you will be able to identify ways you can improve your position. Ask questions — many of them — and take notes. Your objective should be to identify your opponent’s needs and desires. Negotiate hard on the desires, though respect the needs. Forcing concessions on the other party’s needs risks the final product or service being delivered in a subpar manner or them walking away from the deal.

8. Don’t give anything away without getting something in return

 Wherever possible always negotiate something in return for any concession. It could be that you negotiate more favourable payment terms, favourable delivery terms or deliver the work in a manner that is more favourable to you. Don’t give anything away for nothing.

9. Don’t admit to being the sole decision maker

 Whatever the situation, never admit to being the sole decision maker. Another decision maker, real or not, will enable you to buy additional time before making a final decision and also allows a convenient non-present negotiator. “I’m sorry but my investor insists that without a 10% reduction in the services you provide us, I must take our account to open tender.”

10. Always be prepared to walk away

 Despite all the best intentions, sometimes a deal favourable for both parties can’t be reached. When this occurs, always be ready to walk away. Negotiating without a contingency plan is foolish and will likely lead to you being forced to accept terms that are less than favourable.

Bonus Tip: Look after your contracts. MYOB AccountRight Live Standard helps you manage two of your most important assets – your customers and your suppliers. Get closer with CRM capabilities which enable you to keep a contact log for each client, create reminder alerts, and sync with Microsoft Outlook® to create contact groups for bulk emailing. Try AccountRight Live Standard today.

Steve Jobs was one of the best presenters in the tech industry

In my previous post  on this topic, I shared some tips on preparing for a presentation or public speaking opportunity. As I mentioned previously, preparation is key, but all the preparation in the world will not help you if you don’t deliver on the day.

Always be at the venue well before your allotted time. Besides ensuring you aren’t late, this allows you to familiarise yourself with the surroundings and the format of the event. It also opens up the opportunity to speak to some of the audience ahead of time to gauge their interest and build a personal rapport. If you are speaking amongst a group of other speakers, it allows you to listen to other speakers and confirm you aren’t covering the same ground.

Presenting is ... Continue reading]]> Steve Jobs was one of the best presenters in the tech industry

In my previous post  on this topic, I shared some tips on preparing for a presentation or public speaking opportunity. As I mentioned previously, preparation is key, but all the preparation in the world will not help you if you don’t deliver on the day.

6 tips for delivering a great presentation

1. Arrive early.

Always be at the venue well before your allotted time. Besides ensuring you aren’t late, this allows you to familiarise yourself with the surroundings and the format of the event. It also opens up the opportunity to speak to some of the audience ahead of time to gauge their interest and build a personal rapport. If you are speaking amongst a group of other speakers, it allows you to listen to other speakers and confirm you aren’t covering the same ground.

2. Consider your appearance.

Presenting is a little bit like theatre in my opinion. The makeup and costumes of theatre performers is always a bit more dramatic than those of the audience they are speaking to. I believe the same goes for public speaking. Dress to impress. That doesn’t always mean a suit and tie, mind you. Judge your audience and dress accordingly, but take the chance to be bold. The way you dress can give you authority. Judges, tribal chiefs, and kings and queens have used their outfits to communicate authority. N.B. I am not recommending you present with a crown on your head!

3. Do not read your presentation.

By all means have speaking points. But do not read from your presentation regardless of how beautiful your proses are. Take notes to remember your key points and the presentation flow, but trust yourself beyond that. Without pages of notes, you will be forced to look at and engage your audience. You will come across as more natural and be a much more effective public speaker.

4. Don’t hide behind a podium.

Move around the stage or room. Make use of your arms and body to communicate key points. There is nothing worse, or more boring, than a speaker too scared to move from behind the safety of the podium.

5. Make use of Twitter hashtags.

It is increasingly common that people will be ‘live-Tweeting’ what you deliver in your presentations. If you want the audience to connect around your presentation and monitor what is being said, suggest a Twitter hashtag for your presentation. Include it on your first slide and potentially in the footer on every slide after that. Twitter has prepared an informative article on hashtags here.

6. Provide a reason for people to connect post presentation.

Ensure your email, phone or Twitter details are included prominently on your presentation slides. Create a reason for people to connect. Offer to provide additional information, assets or advice not possible to deliver in your presentation proper. This opens up additional opportunities to connect with potential customers or build a broader network.

As I mentioned in my first post, I am constantly watching how others present so I can continue to improve my own technique. As such, I want to share a presentation that in my opinion is the pinnacle of public speaking. It was delivered by Sir Ken Robinson in 2006 at an event called TED. It runs for almost 20 minutes, but I wager that if you make it through the first minute, you will stick with it the whole way through.

It is entertaining, humorous, has a single point and does it all in a highly engaging manner. Watch it, learn from it and take notes. Well maybe don’t take notes on the clothing (apologies, Ken, if you ever read this).

According to a study by Newspoll in 2008, 23% of Australians rate public speaking as their biggest fear. Death only slightly beats it, with 27% of respondents fearing death. Pretty alarming, isn’t it!

For me, public speaking isn’t something I fear; rather it is one of my favourite things to do. However, that hasn’t always been the case. I have studied it, had the opportunity to attend training to improve my skills and am constantly looking to hone my techniques by watching others.

In the first post of this guide, I have summed up a few of the things I have learnt about preparing for great presentations. In the second post, I will share 6 tips I have learnt for delivering an effective and entertaining presentation.

Understanding your audience, the challenges and opportunities ahead of them, and most importantly why you have been invited to present to them should always ... Continue reading]]> According to a study by Newspoll in 2008, 23% of Australians rate public speaking as their biggest fear. Death only slightly beats it, with 27% of respondents fearing death. Pretty alarming, isn’t it!

For me, public speaking isn’t something I fear; rather it is one of my favourite things to do. However, that hasn’t always been the case. I have studied it, had the opportunity to attend training to improve my skills and am constantly looking to hone my techniques by watching others.

In the first post of this guide, I have summed up a few of the things I have learnt about preparing for great presentations. In the second post, I will share 6 tips I have learnt for delivering an effective and entertaining presentation.

1. Research your audience

Understanding your audience, the challenges and opportunities ahead of them, and most importantly why you have been invited to present to them should always be the first step in your presentation preparation. Skipping this risks your presentation being off the mark or irrelevant.

2. Have a point of view.

Spend time thinking about the one thing you want your audience to walk away with. This will ensure your presentation is focused and doesn’t waffle off a whole lot of things you already know. It is often a good idea to introduce the points you want people to take away from your presentation at the very start, and return to it at the end.

3. Plan your supporting materials.

Slides via PowerPoint or Keynote can be highly effective as support devices for your presentation, but far too often people are let down by their slides. Keep them text light—a good way of doing this is using a font 30pt or bigger. Spend time to ensure your visuals are impactful and support the points you are making perfectly. Avoid starburst and pointless visuals between slides. See my previous posts for more detail on making great PowerPoint presentations.

4. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

There is nothing worse than a presentation that goes over its allotted time, or a speaker who is obviously not prepared. Present in front of your colleagues and family. Listen to their feedback and make changes. A poorly rehearsed presentation has no value for the audience and can damage your reputation.

5. Use humour.

In my experience, even the most serious presentations allow for the injection of appropriate moments of humour. Self-deprecating humour works for me, who am not exactly comedians.

6. Use anecdotes to support your points.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but an anecdote is worth a whole lot more. People have been engaging with stories since they were the tiniest children. Information delivered through anecdotes and stories is not only more effective, it is more engaging and entertaining.

Stay tuned for my second post on this (out next month), where I will share tips on delivering on the day.

The press release is one of the oldest PR tools available to you. With a few updates to the old format, you can spice up an otherwise standard press release and still be effective. Below are a few tips around the basics of press release writing and how you can update the traditional press release.

Get your basics right

Journalists can receive hundreds of press releases every day. It is unlikely your release will be read it in its entirety, so make sure you get the important information across quickly. Your headline and first paragraph are crucial so make sure it catches attention. The journalist may not read much further.

Always include the date at the start of your first paragraph. This will ensure journalists know it is relevant and new.

Ensure you include contact details on your press releases so you can be contacted if they want to write about you. ... Continue reading]]> The press release is one of the oldest PR tools available to you. With a few updates to the old format, you can spice up an otherwise standard press release and still be effective. Below are a few tips around the basics of press release writing and how you can update the traditional press release.

Get your basics right

• Inverted pyramid

Journalists can receive hundreds of press releases every day. It is unlikely your release will be read it in its entirety, so make sure you get the important information across quickly. Your headline and first paragraph are crucial so make sure it catches attention. The journalist may not read much further.

• Date

Always include the date at the start of your first paragraph. This will ensure journalists know it is relevant and new.

• Contact details

Ensure you include contact details on your press releases so you can be contacted if they want to write about you. Include both your email and mobile number. If a journalist does contact, reply promptly; you don’t want them to lose interest.

• Quotes

It is always a good idea to include a quote in a press release. Journalists pressed for time may not be able to undertake an interview, so try using a quote to get the point across.

• Keep it short
• As mentioned earlier, it is unlikely a journalist will read your press release in its entirety and will almost certainly not read anything longer than a page. Keep it short and to the point.
• Boilerplate

Include a short paragraph in your release that outlines basic information about your company. This is called a boilerplate and should be placed at the very end of your release under a sub-head; eg: About (company name).

Modernizing your press release

• Bullet points

Bullet points can help shorten your press release and keep it snappy. Journalists often comment that they prefer a simple list of bullet points that deliver the news rather than pages of longhand prose.

• Subheads

Like bullet points, sub-heads can help break up your press release and make it easy to scan and read.

• Links to rich assets

Think about your reading habits. You are more likely to engage with a story that has images and videos associated with it rather than just plain text. Journalists know this and rarely create text-only articles. Doll up your press release with links to easily downloadable and embeddable images and videos.

• Links

Include links to relevant information that help you tell your story or substantiate points you are making.

This is the last part of my series on creating a successful Facebook Page.

In my first post, I covered a few key points on what a Facebook Page is and the things you need to consider before launching your Facebook Page.

In my second post, I explored techniques for creating sticky content and tips on growing a community.

In this post I will share tips on measuring your Facebook Page efforts.

Measurement is always about business objectives

When it comes to measurement, don’t get caught up in the numbers Facebook can spit out. While these are important, your ultimate goals should be focused on your business objectives.

Of course, there are a multitude of business objectives you may be trying to achieve with your Facebook efforts, but the 3 common ones are brand awareness, brand engagement and action towards sales conversion. Below are details on how you can measure against these business objectives.

Facebook ... Continue reading]]>

This is the last part of my series on creating a successful Facebook Page.

In my first post, I covered a few key points on what a Facebook Page is and the things you need to consider before launching your Facebook Page.

In my second post, I explored techniques for creating sticky content and tips on growing a community.

In this post I will share tips on measuring your Facebook Page efforts.

Measurement is always about business objectives

When it comes to measurement, don’t get caught up in the numbers Facebook can spit out. While these are important, your ultimate goals should be focused on your business objectives.

Of course, there are a multitude of business objectives you may be trying to achieve with your Facebook efforts, but the 3 common ones are brand awareness, brand engagement and action towards sales conversion. Below are details on how you can measure against these business objectives.

Facebook Measurement Funnel

Figure 1: Facebook Measurement Funnel

Awareness

Facebook is an ideal platform for growing you brand awareness. There are 2 ROI components you should consider when measuring your awareness building activity:

• Facebook ads – As I outlined in my last post, Facebook advertising is an effective way of building awareness of your business and brand to a highly refined audience. Instead of creating one ad for all your audiences, create highly targeted advertisements for many small target audiences. Compare their effectiveness, and tailor your messages to what is driving the most interaction. Use the impression numbers for all advertisements to understand the reach your advertisements are generating.
• Impressions – When you make a Facebook status update, not all of your audience will see the message. The reality is that it will likely be between 5%-16% or lower. When you are logged in as an admin of your page, you will be able to see how many people have seen each post. Take note of those posts that have been most effective, and adjust your content accordingly. You may even consider supporting the content by making it a promoted post (a form of Facebook advertising) for status updates that have been important to reach a greater portion of your Facebook Page audience.

Engagement

As I have mentioned in previous posts, driving engagement on your Facebook Page is an effective way of ensuring your messages are seen by as many people as possible.

The Facebook Talking About score is the primary way of measuring engagement on your Facebook Page. The Talking About score measures all interactions on your page, from a simple like, to a comment, a wall post or the ultimate engagement – sharing your content.

Monitor your Talking About score. As a guide, the vast majority of Facebook Pages have talking about rates that are under 5%. While your goal should be to always increase this number, Facebook is making it increasingly difficult to secure a high score without paid support.

Conversion

Similar to the the traditional sales funnel, conversion is the ultimate goal. The same goes for Facebook. A conversion in Facebook can be done in different ways. It might be a click-through to your website, a click-through to a reseller, a sign up to your database or entry to a competition and promotion.

You need to measure where the traffic is coming from at the point of conversion. Compare your Facebook traffic against other traffic-driving activities you may be undertaking.

How do your Facebook efforts compare? Are they more cost effective than other methods of driving conversion? Also, compare your individual Facebook efforts. What type of content drives the most conversions, and what time of day it is most effective? Are you better off using your Facebook advertising to direct users to a conversion point, or should you attempt to engage potential customers on your Facebook Page first?

Final thoughts

Facebook Pages can be a highly effective way to drive success for your business, but as I have stated previously, it requires trial and error. You will not likely get it right the first time, but if you measure your activity effectively you will be able to identify how to constantly improve your efforts.

I would love to hear from you on your activity in Facebook and any feedback you have on these tips.

This is the second in a series of three posts on creating a successful Facebook Page.

In my last post I covered a few key points on what a Facebook Page is and the things you need to consider before launching your Facebook Page. In this post I will explore techniques for building content your audience will like and growing a community.

Creating compelling content

Have you noticed that it is your closest friends who are present on the timeline on your Facebook homepage? How does Facebook know who your closest friends are? It knows via the EdgeRank algorithm. Edgerank surmises that the people whose updates and pictures you either Like or comment on the most are the people you care most about. The same goes for Facebook Pages. If the content you are creating isn’t compelling or driving engagement with your community, Edgerank will assume the user doesn’t value it and thus ... Continue reading]]>

This is the second in a series of three posts on creating a successful Facebook Page.

In my last post I covered a few key points on what a Facebook Page is and the things you need to consider before launching your Facebook Page. In this post I will explore techniques for building content your audience will like and growing a community.

Creating compelling content

Have you noticed that it is your closest friends who are present on the timeline on your Facebook homepage? How does Facebook know who your closest friends are? It knows via the EdgeRank algorithm. Edgerank surmises that the people whose updates and pictures you either Like or comment on the most are the people you care most about. The same goes for Facebook Pages. If the content you are creating isn’t compelling or driving engagement with your community, Edgerank will assume the user doesn’t value it and thus won’t publish it in their timeline. Below are five quick tips for creating compelling content:

• Use the 80/20 rule: Your content should be only 20% at most about you and your products. Think first about value you can add to the community, not about what you want to sell or market.
• Create content categories: Look at your favourite industry trade magazine, and note all the different content sections that exist. There is likely news sections, how-to sections, case study sections, product sections, and photo sections. Your Facebook Page should also have categories. Use your trade magazine as a good model on how you should be shaping your content.
• Schedule your updates: The time of day you post your Facebook Page updates can have a large impact on their effectiveness. Review your Facebook Insights analytics panel to identify the times you get most engagement. Use a content management system like HootSuite to schedule your updates and trial periods out of business hours and on weekends.
• The power of the image: If you have Facebook on your smartphone, load it up and scroll through your Facebook Timeline. Note how the updates with images, especially good images, are the ones you pay most attention to. If you don’t get your images right, your text may not be noticed. A picture tells a thousand words, as they say.

Building an audience

The old adage build it and they will come has never been more untrue. Facebook is a busy place with a lot of people vying for your target audience’s attention. Also, it isn’t just your existing business competitors you are competing with. When it comes to Facebook, you are competing with videos of cute babies and photos from a drunken buck’s party. But never fear; below are four tips that should see your community growing:

• Facebook advertising: The most effective way to build an audience in Facebook is via Facebook advertising. You can select from a range of ads that will either help you grow your Facebook community, share select content with your community or communicate with the friends of your community page. The best thing about Facebook advertising is that it can be incredibly targeted and can cost you as little as $100 a month. To learn more about Facebook advertising check out the tonne of resources Facebook has created.
• Facebook competitions and applications: Facebook competitions and giveaways can be effective ways to grow an audience on Facebook. You will need to run the competition within a Facebook tab, not just via your Facebook timeline. Wildfire is a fairly simple to use application I have used in the past to run competitions. Keep in mind that you should use competitions in moderation. You want people joining your page to engage with your content, not just because they can win something. Details on Facebook competitions and the terms and conditions that accompany them can be found here.
• Create a reason to join your Facebook Page: Make sure there is a reason for being part of your community. Deliver your community discounts, early product information, special offers or information they wouldn’t normally have access to. Nobody wants to just hear about your new services and products.
• Spread word about your Facebook Page via additional platforms: Share the fact you have a Facebook presence on your company website, product packaging, marketing materials and at POS in your store or office. Make sure you clearly state what benefits they will receive for Liking your page.

I could go on, but Facebook is a bit like riding a bike. The best way to learn is by trying it for yourself.

Stay tuned for my next post on evaluating your efforts on Facebook.

Matthew Gain | Director, Brand and Digital Marketing – Edelman

Facebook. Now there is an idea I reckon every small business owner wishes they had thought of. For those who use it already I am sure you will agree it is definitely a social phenomenon. For those who aren’t on it, my advice simply is to sign up. If you don’t use Facebook yourself as a personal user, you are not appreciating the huge potential Facebook offers for small businesses wanting to reach prospective customers.

Three facts you may not have realised about Facebook:

Email marketing, what do you reckon? It may not be the latest marketing tool on the block and we’ve all no doubt experienced poor examples of it, but I am a fan. A targeted email received by a customer who has opted into your communication can be one of the most effective and cost efficient marketing tools for a wide range of small businesses.

Below are a few tips that small business owners should consider when undertaking email marketing:

Building a recipient database

Without a recipient list you cannot undertake email marketing. It should be your first consideration.

I have worked in public relations (PR) for more than 10 years. I love it, am passionate about its effectiveness and have proof of it revolutionising a businesses, in some instances overnight. Yet many small business owners don’t consider it as part of their marketing effort because they wrongly assume it is something only for big brands. That assumption is wrong. PR can be effective for businesses of all size.

So what is PR? It is many things, but for small businesses I like to think it is a way to raise awareness of your business amongst potential customers where you don’t pay for that awareness directly. In most instances it is media relations, though it may also include public speaking and social media.

Below are a few tips that can get any small business owner started on using PR for their brand.

Targeting your PR efforts

Set your targets small when starting on ... Continue reading]]>

I have worked in public relations (PR) for more than 10 years. I love it, am passionate about its effectiveness and have proof of it revolutionising a businesses, in some instances overnight. Yet many small business owners don’t consider it as part of their marketing effort because they wrongly assume it is something only for big brands. That assumption is wrong. PR can be effective for businesses of all size.

So what is PR? It is many things, but for small businesses I like to think it is a way to raise awareness of your business amongst potential customers where you don’t pay for that awareness directly. In most instances it is media relations, though it may also include public speaking and social media.

Below are a few tips that can get any small business owner started on using PR for their brand.

Targeting your PR efforts

Set your targets small when starting on your PR journey. Forget the national mainstream media and instead concentrate on those outlets that have a more narrow focus on your area of expertise:

• Trade media: There is a broad range of specialist trade media that delve deep into one particular topic. You may already be aware of the trade media for your small business, but if not, a simple web search should uncover them. There are trade magazines for just about every sector. Australasian Drilling is a case in point…
• Local media: Local newspapers are widely read and are interested in the people and businesses in their local area. They are the perfect outlet for small businesses supporting a defined local area.
• Blogs and online media: Most people start their search for services on the internet. Online media outlets and blogs can be very powerful in generating PR for your business and also for increasing your website SEO. A lot of trade and local media are shifting their publications online due to the cheaper costs associated, so this sector will become even more powerful in the coming years.
• Don’t forget radio: Local radio and talkback radio can be very powerful—don’t under-estimate its power. Go for AM style talkback rather than music focussed FM stations with only short news segments.

How to approach journalists

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to contacting a journalist. Journalists are a diverse bunch, and they all have their own preferences when it comes to how they like to receive PR style information. However there are some things that are almost universal:

• Consider the audience, not your own interests. An approach about how wonderful you and your business are is unlikely to generate a media article. Think about an angle for an article that includes a ‘st’ component – first, best, biggest, last etc. Case studies and customer stories are also of high interest.
• Forget the press release and draft a personal email. Don’t mass distribute, make it short and get your point across in the subject line and first paragraph. Journalists receive hundreds of emails a day so make it easy for them to quickly understand how your business could be a story. Don’t include large attachments, and ensure your contact details are clearly visible.
• Timing is everything. Make your approaches in the morning. Journalists typically get busier as the day progresses and may ignore your email if it arrives late in the day.
• Be aware of the news agenda. You are more likely to generate media coverage if you can suggest a story that is aligned with the current news agenda or extends upon a topic a journalist has been writing about. Also think about the consumer calendar. Christmas themed stories are all the rage in December, and romance stories are featured around Valentine’s Day.
• Persistence is key. Follow up your email with a call to the journalist. Leave a message, and try again if you don’t hear back. Don’t be a pest though. If a journalist doesn’t respond to a few attempts to get their attention, it typically means they aren’t interested. Try again in a month or so with a different story suggestion. Also consider inviting a journalist for coffee. Over coffee you might get a better indication of what stories will best resonate.

Beyond media

Whilst the audience reach of media can be very appealing, it shouldn’t be your only consideration when it comes to PR. Other PR tactics worth considering include:

• Speaking opportunities at industry events or trade shows
• Being involved in industry bodies and networking opportunities
• Entering industry awards—these are typically written up in the media
• Create-your-own-media platforms via a blog and other social media platforms.

PR is far from simple and success is never guaranteed, but when it does come off, it can be incredibly powerful. I would love to hear of your own PR experiences or any additional tips you may have via the comment box.

Matthew Gain | Director, Brand and Digital Marketing – Edelman

The ten blue links displayed when you type your company name into a search engine, not your company’s homepage, is where most people first interact with your business. What they see on that search engine page, be it positive or negative, will have a lasting impact.

However, for many small businesses it is the business owner the customer is buying into, not the business brand.  If nothing comes up when you put your own name into Google, what does that say about you? Or even worse, if the only things that come up are personal photos you would rather keep private, then your search engine footprint needs some serious attention.

Below are seven quick tips to help improve your personal brand online.

1. Blog. Having a good blog habit is one of the simplest ways to ensure you control your personal online brand. However, the act of creating a blog is not enough. You ... Continue reading]]>

The ten blue links displayed when you type your company name into a search engine, not your company’s homepage, is where most people first interact with your business. What they see on that search engine page, be it positive or negative, will have a lasting impact.

However, for many small businesses it is the business owner the customer is buying into, not the business brand.  If nothing comes up when you put your own name into Google, what does that say about you? Or even worse, if the only things that come up are personal photos you would rather keep private, then your search engine footprint needs some serious attention.

Below are seven quick tips to help improve your personal brand online.

1. Blog. Having a good blog habit is one of the simplest ways to ensure you control your personal online brand. However, the act of creating a blog is not enough. You need to generate content, ideally lots of content. The more posts you write, the more content a search engine will have to index, and the more content others will be able to link to; both of which positively impact what appears when your name is searched. If you’re a business owner, place your blog on your business URL, but ensure you use your own name as the author.

2. Tweet. A step down in effort from blogging is Twitter. The major search engines rank Twitter high in their results. Aided by the 140 character limit, there is an incredibly low barrier for entry into the world of Twitter, so set up an account and add your Tweets to the 50 million odd tweets that are created each day.

3. Use your name. If you want to be found on the web, make sure you are optimising around your name. If available, purchase the URL for your name – eg matthewgain.com. Also, ensure your Twitter handle is your name, and customise your Facebook and LinkedIn URLs to include your name. Learn how to do it for Facebook here and LinkedIn here. Of course this will be more effective for people with a unique name as opposed to all the Bob Smiths or Li Chens out there.

4. Understand how people search. Use the Google AdWords Keyword tool to understand how people search for your skill set. Put in the word that you think best represents what you want to be known for. For example a search on ‘PR’ shows that ‘communications’ is also a highly searched word. Armed with the knowledge of what people are searching for, use the terms in the content you create for your blog and in your online profiles or bios to help align with what people are searching for.

5. Be everywhere. When it comes to optimising your personal online brand, the more online presences you have, the better. The popular social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn, like Twitter, are featured high in searches for people’s names.

6. Remove the bad stuff. Just as easily as search engines find the good stuff, they will also return the bad stuff. If there are images of you that you wouldn’t want people to see, delete them.

7. Think before you post. Think very carefully before you post content to the web. Simply think, “Am I happy with potential clients seeing this?” If the answer is no, don’t post it.

I would love to hear what the search engines say about your personal brands and if any of the tips above help. Likewise if you have any other tips add them to the comments box below.

Matthew Gain | Director, Brand and Digital Marketing – Edelman