A powerful online brand presence is becoming more and more important with the huge rise of smartphones and tablets. Not only do your brochures and rack cards need to match your website, but your communication on social media and email newsletters also needs to match.

To simplify things, let’s break it down into three categories. What tools to use, what core brand elements need to be included and finally the type of messaging.

Your business should use these tools:

1. Website: Think of your website as the center of a spider web. All marketing points to the center, your website.

2. Email Newsletter that is sent out regularly.

3. A Blog: A great tool for people to get to know your brand. People buy from people they feel like they know and a blog is a great place for people to get to know you.

4. Facebook – over 50% of users check Facebook each day, not your website.
 Go where your users are!

5. Twitter – Many people either love Twitter or hate it. Keep your messaging short and share the link love with Retweets.

6. Linkedin – If your business is more focused on B to B.

7. Pinterest – Use if your business is image based.

Branding tips:

1. Make sure your website is easy to use and designed with a goal in mind. For example, do you want sign ups for an email newsletter or for people to follow you on Facebook? Or make a sale?

2. Make sure across all materials, online and off, your design uses the same core elements – logo, color scheme, fonts, images, tone of voice:
• website 
    • email newsletter
    • blog
    • social media

3. Make sure your artwork appeals to your audience

4. Use photos that represent your brand – is it a beach scene, like Corona?

 Or a dinner in a vineyard?

Type of Messaging:

1. Be Real. Be Genuine: make sure you sound like a person, not a robot.

2. Have fun. If you are always cracking jokes, spread the laughter.

3. Provide value: Did you read an article that really made you think? Share it.

4. Build online relationships

5. Promote interaction. Ask open ended questions.

6. Be transparent – if a problem creeps up, be honest

7. Listen to your Audience

8. Keep your message consistent

Rebecca is the owner of Bauerhaus Design, which specializes in building brands for wineries. Take our free 7 week wine marketing class to learn how to sell more wine with a powerful brand, social media and online tools at  sell-more-wine