Does your business reputation influence how well your marketing efforts are received? Have you ever stopped to think about how perspective customers or clients see your business? What words would they use to describe your company? As small business owners, oftentimes, you are the business and what you do or say echoes the company’s image.
Marketing is everything you do; therefore, your business reputation impacts your marketing. Your reputation in business is largely based on the perception of trust and your ability to deliver a product or service. To be perceived as a highly creditable company you must demonstrate you are not only trustworthy (an honest company), but competent (have the ability to deliver). It’s conceivable a consumer may trust a company’s honesty but not trust the company’s ability to deliver the end results. It’s just as conceivable to believe the company has the know-how to deliver the end results but not trust the character of the company to deliver it. Either way, one absent of the other will slow a company’s ability to acquire customers and build a profitable business.
When the economy is flourishing, mediocre businesses can do well, but as money tightens, it’s the business that has built the solid reputation that stands. I’ve watched experienced companies go under due to the loss of creditability in the eyes of the consumer. These companies had the expertise to deliver the product or service but lack the professionalism needed to ensure the confidence of the client. When companies show up late to scheduled appointments or worst, don’t show up at all or display poor organizational or language skills, it reflects poorly on the company.
Small Details Can Hurt a Company’s Reputation
Entire marketing campaigns can fail because of inattention to seemingly unimportant details. See below a list of some of the small details that go uncorrected but hinder a company’s creditability:
• Undeveloped or inadequate marketing materials
• Company website has outdated information, misspelled words, poor design
• Using poor or crude language
• Business cards with incorrect or outdated information
• Not answering the phone in a professional manner
• Employees or company owner dresses inappropriately for an occasion
Earn Consumer Confidence and Creditability
If your reputation needs some improvement or you just want to elevate your business creditability some, consider the following:
• Ask for and include letters of recommendations/testimonial letters in your presentations.
• Use positive PR-Self-nominate yourself for awards to gain publicity and creditability.
• Use quotes from influential people on your website and marketing material to endorse your products or service.
• Use Cause Promotions-Support a worthy cause on your website i.e. breast cancer month, humane society, and etc.
• Participate in creditable speaking engagements within your area of expertise.
• Associate and collaborate with other creditable companies. Whether co-marketing, strategic alliances or partnerships, your business worthiness can be raised by the company you keep.
• Seek to be transparent-Deliver the product or service as agreed upon without hidden fees and cost.
• Article Marketing- Give freely by offering to write online articles to show your expertise.
• Offer free consultations-Prove your knowledge with in a free but limited time consultation.
Monitor Your Online Reputation with Google Alerts
Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. Add a Google alert for your company name. You can use it to monitor your online reputation and help head off any potential problems.
1. Log on to http://www.google.com/alerts. (You must log into or create a Google Account first.)
2. Fill in information on search term, media coverage area, desired frequency and your email, and click create alert.
3. You will get a confirming email in your inbox; click to confirm you want to start the alert.
Please check our new Reputation Management Pricing, Social Media Pricing and Social Media A La Carte Pricing to choose the right social media strategy for your profile or business.