Brian Koslow, an author, international businessman and investor, once said “there is no advertisement as powerful as a positive reputation traveling fast”. All the efforts should be directed on improving it as much as you can. Since the competition is fierce both in digital and physical world, we have prepared a list of six basic strategies to improve your business image.
The Power of Writing
Your expertise is the foundation of your business reputation. If you customers have a problem, they will turn to a professional, an expert they trust. In today digital world, sharing your knowledge has become much easier. Create an informative blog. Write for other blogs and websites. On the other hand, do not forget about your local newspapers and magazines as you need to improve your reputation both at local and international level.
Offering Help
Even though this strategy is closely related to the previous one, it embodies specific steps. One way to help your future customers is answering their questions both in digital and physical world. The next time someone needs help related to something you wrote on the blog, a prompt answer is crucial. Join discussions on LinkedIn and Q&A websites. The appreciation that you did someone a good turn and the commitment you showed transforms in the word-of-mouth marketing, one of the most fundamental aspects of building a reputation.
Creating a Pleasant Working Atmosphere
The satisfaction of your employees has a direct impact on the reputation of your business. Make sure you distribute employee satisfaction surveys once a year. The fact that you care about their opinion make employees have better sense of control on the working environment. Post photos of your employees on social media and organize an online competition for the best employee of the month. Encourage socialization among employees by having office parties, organizing volunteer programmes, or simply creating workstation which facilitates communication.
Building Customer Trust
According to a survey, when customers trust a brand, 83% will recommend a company to others and 82% percent will continue to use that brand frequently. The great service is bound up with building trust. You vouch for the product/service being high-quality and being on time. “Especially when it comes to international commerce, first-class packaging ensuring the safety of products is essential”, tell us at a Sydney-based company specialised in packaging supplies.
Encouraging Online Reviews
The key finding of a Search Engine Land 2014 survey is that 88% of customers read online reviews to determine the quality of a local business. First and foremost, ask shoppers on the website to give their feedback and place it on the visible place on the website. You can also send customers an e-mail a week after delivery and ask them to write a review on the website. Do not shy away from publishing bad reviews. Nothing is perfect including your customer service. If possible, address a bad review by writing a blog post about it.
Rewarding Loyalty
Develop a good rapport with customers as they are key influencers when it comes to a reputation. Loyal customers deserve to be rewarded. Offering discounts and freebies is always a good start. Invite customers to trial a new product and to write a review on the website. Create a loyalty card programme so that loyal shoppers can save money. An old but gold tactic is to offer a product for free for multiple purchases.
To conclude, these strategies are mutually intertwined; for example, customer trust leads to good reviews, good reviews leads to better reputation. Ensure you implement all of them for the best results.
