I’m sure that I am not the first person who has ever told you that first impressions count. Your mom probably told you this several times while growing up, most likely when you were arguing over what outfit you were going to wear.
Just like “the real world,” it’s important to make a good first impression online, as well. Here are a few areas that you might not have thought of:
Your Blog
Yes, it’s your blog. You can write about whatever you want. Just keep in mind that if you swear like a sailor or put up pictures of yourself in a sexy Halloween costume, some people (potential customers) might be offended. If you feel like you can live without their business, then great. Keep on swearing and posting questionable pics. But if you want to keep money flowing in, you’ll act professional.
Now, maybe you’re not going to get carried away like the person in the above example. That doesn’t mean your off the hook. You also want to make sure that your blog looks good, is easy to read, isn’t cluttered, and so forth. Look at it honestly. If it can use a makeover, give it one. If you don’t know how, hire someone to do it for you.
Social Media
This really is the first introduction many people have of us. As in the above example, keep your business stuff professional. You can have a separate Facebook, and you can feel free to make it private and only accept people you know as friends. And you can post all the half-naked pics you want. But if it’s business, think twice.
Also, if you are constantly using slang or only posting about depressing things, you may lose out on some customers. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer. People don’t want to do business with her. I’m not saying you need to be a cheerleader and start throwing some pom poms around. Just try not to make your Twitter timeline sound like a country song.
Remember – you want to make a good first impression. If you were looking at your blog or social media profiles for the first time, would you want to do business with you?