Without a doubt, the one thing that any company, corporation or business wants is visibility. Exposure to the masses and the being seen by thousands, or even millions of potential customers is a dream come true for some. But just how is it that a company is supposed to get this “visibility” and make it work for them?
When the internet became available for business and consumer consumption, many jumped on the bandwagon, hoping to find their way to a glorious road of fame and riches. The dot com events of the late 1990s proved unfortunate for some, as they were simply relying on their name and reputation to create instant success. What they weren’t prepared for was orchestrating a way for that success to translate into actual business dollars. It failed miserably.
Visibility is a concept that is neither bought, sold nor translated. It is created. It is a form of art, if you will, that shapes and molds a company or an idea to formulate a process in the potential customer’s mind. In other words, if you can get them to think it, perhaps you can get them to buy it.
One example of a niche market that maximizes its use of visibility is the sports arena. Most everything in sports has a sponsor, a logo or printed advertising. From the Michael Jordan Nike swoosh symbol to the Saucony running shoes worn by triathlete Lance Armstrong. Although these companies do pay to have their brands plastered across the athletes backs, what they can’t pay for (so to speak) is the lasting impressions and thought impressions that their brands leave in their mind. Think about it: how many times have your kids said they want “Skechers” or “Nike” shoes and not the no-name, cheaper brands?
Some may argue that this is branding or perhaps advertising. But while that may hold credence, I maintain that it is definitely visibility, and that visibility is what makes customers remember you and want to buy what you have.
No matter what the size of a company is, they can create visibility for themselves, especially online. How:
1. Be everywhere. Interact on social sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace. When people start to see you and your company everywhere, all of the time and interacting with others, they will become curious and go check out your site. After all, that’s what you want, right?
2. Ask questions. Not chiding questions, but genuine questions. Ask for others opinions, input and feedback. Show customers that you really don’t know it all.
3. Give back. Offer something of value back to your online followers. Be generous with your information and share how-to’s, resources and tools.
When you employ these strategies, who do you think readers will turn to when they need advice? Who do you think they’ll remember when they have to make a decision or choice and you just wrote an article or blog post on the subject?
What can you or your company do to create more visibility for your service or product? What creative ways can you find to share what you know?
I am a freelance writer, blogger and professional motivational speaker. I primarily focus on business content, offering my clients strategic marketing strategies for their businesses. I have been an entrepreneur for over 13 years, after having worked extensively in corporate America.
Lance Armstrong is not a triathlete and he doesn’t wear Saucony. He’s first and foremost a cyclist who has turned to distance running and is heavily sponsored (and outfitted) by Nike.
Hi Sue,
You’re absolutely right on some of those points on Lance Armstrong. Thank you for your comments and corrections. However, the information that Lance is/was a triathlete comes directly from his website in his bio. It states that he became a professional tri-athlete after he won his first one at the age of sixteen. And, you’re right, he is a Nike man. He only used to wear and sponsor Saucony occasionally and a very long time ago. http://www.lancearmstrong.com
Sue, thank you though for bringing those two facts to my attention.