If You Are Not Online…Do You Exist?

Today I was following up with some wonderful entrepreneurs I met recently. I decided to add them to my LinkedIn connections. I did not want to sell anything. I just wanted to say hi, it was nice to meet you.

Only one problem, a few of those people were not on LinkedIn. They had no profile. Even by doing a simple Google search, I discovered there were no social media for their businesses and it actually took me a bit to find their website. I started to wonder…do these businesses exist?

With no online presence, my first thought was these companies do not exist. But they do exist. I met the entrepreneurs behind these businesses. I talked to them, I laughed with them and I even shook their hand. So why was it so hard for me to find them online? If potential customers were just searching for these companies to find information about them to make that important buying decision, it would have the same effect as if you weren’t in business. To the outside world, no online visibility can translate to you don’t exist!

A website with good content is a must. As Jayme Cousins from In House Logic has mentioned many times “Content is King!” If your site has a great layout and relevant content that will convert viewers to customers. Same with Social media – Content is King! Social media is the act of being social, building a community, getting to know who your customers are, their wants, and their needs. Social media is a relationship building marketing tool. Good relevant content always attracts customers.

Just imagine if you had to decide between two businesses. You go online to investigate/research which one fits your needs better and discover only one has an online presence and the other one has nothing. Which one would you decide – the one who has information to help make your buying decision or the one that has no information, no presence which makes you believe they don’t exist?