There is no magic tool or solution for having a rock solid online presence, as Internet is just another suite of tools for conveying who you are and what you're selling / promoting. The core of who you are needs to be truthful, clear, consistent and before you have any hope of marketing that core - online or offline.

So with that in mind, before doing anything online, it's critical to establish a few simple facts about your business and your brand before you take it online in the forms of a website, social pages and more. By starting off with a solid foundation through your brand, you will be able to create a reputation designed to build long term relationships and trust with potential customers from the very start.

Ahhh but 'Branding' is one of those words that sounds expensive and is something you can never really put a finger on.

What is 'Branding' exactly? More times than I can count I've been asked, "How important is Branding to the success of my online business?" And I always answer the same way, "Well, that really depends. What do YOU think online Branding is?"

Over 90% of the responses include well-placed logos, great photography and well-written slogans. If you've found yourself responding with the same answers, you're partially right. However, if you're in that rare 10% and your answer focused more on the personal interaction part of your business such as "Branded conversations, experiences and content" take a bow and eat a sandwich - my work here is done.

Let me explain it like this… your brand is you, your website, your employees, the way you sign your emails, how you greet new cus...