On Tuesday, January 14, the McKinney Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, held the first session of a new Competitive Edge Business Education series.

The first presentation, "Leveraging your Presence Online," explored themes of social media and the importance of a well-managed website first and effective marketing second. The instructor for the presentation was Nate Henry Luedtke, who works with the privately owned Advice Interactive Group, a company that works with over 400 clients internationally. 

Luedtke's talk emphasized setting reasonable goals based on copious research. He stated that, “Your entire plan to leverage your business online needs to be built around your goals,” and adds that "you will waste a lot of money” if "you don't know your end goal." 

Another focus of the presentation was how companies can use the characteristics of their audience to build an online presence that is accessible and appealing. That online presence can come in many forms, from facebook to websites to mobile apps to twitter, and with the desire both for content and interaction on the part of clients, a varied online presence is advantageous. For instance, the vitality a mobile app is demonstrated by the fact that 45 percent of American adults use a smartphone. 

Luedke concluded with the advice that a business should be cautious in developing an online presence. “You need to own the URL, the design and the content. Without this, it doesn’t allow you to make good decisions," he said, adding that in an ever-changing industry, adding that thorough research should be utilized to build trust with other businesses. 

On Tuesday, February 4, between 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Karen Mensch of Murray and Mensch, PC, will hold the next session, "Small Business Tax Workshop." Suggestions for further topics are welcomed by the McKinney Chamber of Commerce.

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