Business Buzz - Making You Famous

Your reputation matters.  Everyone knows that.  No matter who you are you need to worry about what the public thinks.  With online reviews and social media it is now easier than ever for an angry consumer to share with the world how bad their experience was with your establishment.  There is no longer a difference between reputation and online reputation.  They are one and the same.  To measure and improve your reputation you need to understand the different facets of reputation. We’ve broken it down into five different areas that will help you focus your efforts and improve your public image.

Product

People care about whether or not your product is quality. If a lot of other consumers have had issues with your products then they are unlikely to purchase from you again.  Not only did you lose their business but you also lost the business of their friends.  Having a good reputation for your products means building quality products and fixing them when they have issues.  Somehow, Bath and Body Works sells their bottles of soap for six dollars.  In reality, it isn’t worth any more than the dollar soap at the grocery store nor is it better.  However, consumers will pay several dollars more for their products because they trust them.  If you build products that consumers trust then you can charge a premium for them.

Service

Customer service is the first line of Public Relations. When customers have issues always give them a good experience.  Most consumers are understanding and are willing to reach out to you for a solution.  Seek to solve their problems quickly before they tell their friends and family about their negative experience.  Apple almost always releases products that still have bugs to work out – and then fixes the issues as users report them.  But they still have a great reputation.  Do the same with your products.  Instead of ignoring issues with products, be grateful for the feedback and fix the issues.

Citizenship

If you’ve read anything on our blog then you know how important corporate social responsibility is. Consumers care about the impact your company has on the environment, so make sure it’s a good one.  Public Relations is not always about messing up and having a PR team cover it up – instead, try to be proactive and do great things to start with. Then don’t be shy about letting consumers know about it. Chances are they’ll want to help.  Read here about simple things you can do to improve your Corporate Social Responsibility.

Value

Provide value to your customers. Consumers are always on the hunt for a great deal. This doesn’t always mean cheap, it just means that they feel satisfied with what they got for their money. On the flipside, they will be sure to tell their friends and family when they feel that your product or service wasn’t worth what they paid for it.  When you tell someone that you went to a restaurant they will most likely ask whether or not it was good.  If you say no, your family and friends are much less likely to eat there.  Don’t be the bad restaurant.  Provide the value that consumers want so they will keep coming back and will send their friends your way.

Employees

Your employees are the face of your company. Train them to represent your company well.  When you have a mission for your company you need to make sure that your employees know it and live up to it. This facet goes both ways.  Your employees will tell their friends whether or not they actually like their job.  It is important to keep employees happy so they will work hard and speak well about your company.  Give them many reasons to be proud of where they work. Learn more about keeping employees happy here.

Take a look at each of these facets within your own business and see how you can improve.  As always, you can contact us for help managing your reputation.