Damian Skinner

Representing your business online is a delicate skill that if done poorly, can affect the quality and longevity of your career. In some respects, the way we handle our online personal social networks is reflected onto the business world. Much like the dozens of facebook friends who invade your wall with updates on everything from the status of their laundry to how delicious their coffee tasted, a business can appear unprofessional and, you guessed it, downright annoying

Here are the top five mistakes your business can make when entering the web 2.0:

5. Revealing too much information

Mom’s had it right, the internet can be an unsafe place to conduct business. Advertising your home address or leaving your customers feeling unsatisfied with the security of your website are just two ways you can spoil a client’s invested interest.

To avoid risking both your customer and personal information, keep it safe and simple by creating a channel of communication that can be trusted. Think of your website as a home. You want to make sure it is safe to sleep in, but also cozy enough that your clients will feel safe returning for future visits.

4. Speaking to a narrow audience

When creating new content for your site, make sure to write with a specific audience in mind. Speaking to a small audience will hurt the growth of your business and cause your site to become obsolete. The more relevant your information is to a wider audience base, the more your business will succeed.

Don’t forget, fusing personality into your business will not concentrate the scope of your audience. If you present yourself professionally and with charm, your audience will expand and feel more connected to your business.

3. Using incorrect grammar.

From a consumer perspective, the correct se of grammar is a clear indicator of professionalism. To avoid simple grammar mistakes and issues of clarity, read through your content three times then have a friend or co-worker review it to ensure it is ready to go online.

Also, using internet language (LOL, TTYL) is a sure-fire way of letting the customer know how little you care about the services you offer. It is fine to use this style on a personal level, but not when attracting new customers. Speak clearly and with purpose.

2. Mishandling customer service

The best way to keep a customer is to treat them kindly with authority. With more businesses migrating to the web, it is necessary to translate the quality of your customer service into the virtual realm. Responding frequently to e-mails and invoices will keep your customer informed and at ease.

Working online can be tempting, especially when you tell yourself that the customer can always wait until the next day to get that important e-mail. Make it a habit to respond to e-mails within 24 hours of being received.

1. Failure to integrate

One of the most important things I have learned while interning for Riot Lounge is that social integration is the end all and be all of social networking. If your business can not adopt to the growing trends of social media, then your customer base will disintegrate and you’ll be stuck chatting on AIM with no one to talk to.

The best thing to do is to follow the herd while keeping the next big trend within arm’s reach. The internet evolves rapidly. If you fail to ride the wave of innovation, other business who can make use of these media platforms will swallow you up and spit you out in their next quarterly earning report. Keep your eyes out on the horizon, but hit the current trends with a ferocious tenacity. It’s a tough thing to move your business online, but if you make the jump successfully, the web will become a second front door.