Let’s face it, the most important thing a small business can do in today’s world is to have a positive reputation. It is the most integral part of any business strategy when looking to grow your business as people are more likely to buy from a company they trust.
In fact, research shows that 84% of consumers say that online reviews influence their buying decisions and are trusted as much as a personal recommendation from friends or family. So if you’re not taking your reputation seriously, you’re going to get left behind.
Here are our top 5 ways to grow your business with a flourishing online reputation:
The internet has become the number one resource for consumers to research potential purchases, and it’s important that your company has a positive online reputation. The following are five ways to grow your business with a flourishing online reputation.
1. Monitor Your Online Reputation
The first step in building a positive online reputation is to monitor your current one. Many small businesses are completely unaware of their online presence and need to take the time to find out what information is available about them.
2. Create A Strategy
Once you have determined your current online standing, you can get started on building a positive reputation. By following some simple guidelines, you will be on your way to creating a strategy for success.
3. Be Consistent
When creating a strategy for building your business’s online reputation, it’s important that you remain consistent over time. This means posting regularly and frequently, as well as making sure that all of your posts match the overall tone of the company.
At first, a police costume might seem like a strange way to grow your business. But if you think about it, there are some very important things that can be learned from the police uniform. In this post, we’ll take a look at what makes a police uniform so effective and how you can use these same principles to improve your company’s online reputation.
A police uniform is not just about making an officer look good or having him stand out from the crowd. It’s also about making sure he can do his job effectively and safely. Here are the five main elements of a successful police uniform:
1) A CLEAR IDENTITY
The first thing people notice about a cop is his uniform. If he’s dressed in plain clothes, it’s likely that he won’t be taken seriously by most people. But if he wears a bright blue shirt and pants with black trim and has a badge on his chest, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s a cop!
2) PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS
Police officers need to be able to do their jobs no matter what the weather is like outside. They need protection from rain and snow as well as heat or cold in order to stay safe and healthy while working long hours outdoors all day
1. Look at this as a long-term investment; not just a one hit wonder.
2. Allocate the time and resources needed to manage your online reputation.
3. Be consistent and persistent in your efforts to promote positive content.
4. Don’t get bullied by bad reviews, use them as an opportunity to grow your business!
5. If you need help, ask for it!
It’s no secret that in today’s world, your business’ online reputation is key to its success. A quick Google search for any small business can easily turn up a slew of negative articles, reviews or comments. Even if these are totally false, the effects can be devastating. But what happens when your small business has a negative comment that is actually true?
We all make mistakes. We hire the wrong employee, we miss an important deadline or we send out an email with the wrong price on it. When these things happen, it’s best to own up to them immediately and do what you can to make it right.
Here are some of my tried-and-true tips for handling your business’ online reputation when something goes wrong:
With a few simple steps you can begin to start building trust with consumers and take control of your company’s online reputation.
If you’re interested in improving your online reputation, here are 5 easy ways to start:
1. Start With a Google Search
2. Ask Your Customers for Reviews
3. Monitor Social Media Sites & Online Directories
4. Get Creative With Marketing
5. Be sure to include good content on your website, including positive reviews from other sources (Yelp, Angie’s List, etc.), images of your products and services, videos that explain how your business works and anything else that can help communicate with your customers about why you do what you do and how it can help them!
1. Make sure information about your business can be found online.
If you haven’t claimed your Google+ page, done SEO on your website or at least have a Facebook page for your business, you are missing out on important opportunities to connect with prospects and customers.
2. Don’t forget about reviews.
Reviews are the most important factor in determining search rankings on sites like Google, Yelp and TripAdvisor. And with 88 percent of consumers trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations, responding to reviews—good and bad—should be a priority for every business owner. Deleting bad reviews is a common mistake that could cost you new customers or clients. Instead, respond politely to the reviewer and ask how you can make it right. Then follow through! In most cases, unhappy customers just want to be heard; this is your chance to show future customers that you care about feedback and take action to improve the customer experience every time.
3. Respond quickly to social media comments.
If someone reaches out to your business via Facebook, Twitter or another social media channel, she expects a reply within 60 minutes (or less). If she doesn’t get one, she’s likely to share her negative encounter with others.
4. Be consistent across channels.