09.02.09Richmond Companies Brand Online
Each week I write this blog and then invite the community to come and discuss the topic at “Coffee with Kendall.” The idea is that by stimulating a conversation, businesses will be able to learn about the value of utilizing emerging media platforms as a resource to build their brand.
Last week’s conversation was an interesting one because it examined how Web sites are a reflection of a brand and often a first introduction to a brand. We examined well-known Richmond businesses to see if their Web sites fit with our impression of their brand that we experienced when we shopped in their stores or walked into their offices. Some companies were exactly who we expected online while others represented their brand very differently online then they did in person.
This brought up another good question. How do you build and define a brand for a business that lives online exclusively? How is it different for a business that has to make an impression in a split second without any other experiences from clients to contribute to the overall brand impression? Take a look at these Richmond businesses that have built their brand through their Web site.
I’m currently reading What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis and it offers a lot of insight for companies who live exclusively online (as well as perspective on our new economy). I wonder what advice Jarvis would offer to these brands? I’d love to hear about online brands that you love. Who does it well? What makes it work?
Weigh in with your thoughts on our Facebook Fan page, on Twitter, or at “Coffee with Kendall” this Thursday, 9:30 a.m. at Ellwood’s Coffee.
