How to Strengthen Your Company’s Reputation

A company’s reputation is one of the most valuable things that they own. A good reputation can do wonders, while a negative reputation can quite literally cost millions. With that in mind, here are several suggestions for companies looking to strengthen their business reputation.

Ask for Feedback

While opening yourself up to potential criticism can be scary, it’s a sure fire way to show that your company is focused on improvement. Pronto Marketing advises “Asking clients and customers what they think of you and your products is the best way to prove to them that you value their opinions. Encourage feedback, reviews and even criticisms. You might even consider having a testimonials page on your website through which people can submit their feedback. Sure, they’re more likely to use Facebook or Twitter, but having the page available is still a good idea.”

Consider Your Outside Image

They say that you only have one chance to make a first impression. With that in mind, the way in which your employees present themselves to the outside world is of paramount importance. This means that employees should always be professionally dressed and presentable. They should always act in a polite and professional manner. If you’re a company who has business vehicles on the road, they should be relatively new, well maintained, and reflect the appropriate image that your company is trying to portray. These are all key components in crafting the public’s perception of your organization, and ignoring them would be a massive mistake.

Become a Thought Leader

Becoming known as a well-respected authority in your field of expertise will do wonders toward strengthening your company’s reputation. Marketing Donut explains, “Why do we respect some brands and are ambivalent about others? Yes, positive track record and user experience are up there with brand awareness and perceived success, but it’s also about how the brand communicates to the market. Positioning yourself as a market “thinker” will ultimately engender the feeling that you are the market “leader”, or at the very least, the market “mover”. Actively managing a reputation for contributing to debates and helping to define the market will boost your reputation no end.”

Go the Extra Mile

We can all remember an experience with a company that went above and beyond for us. We remember how it made us feel and the appreciation we had for their efforts. Going the extra mile for your clients is a sure-fire way to strengthen your business reputation. Kristen McCormick of Thrive Hive says “A mediocre or typical experience with your business doesn’t give a person anything worth sharing with others. A notable experience, however, gives them something valuable or interesting to share with others. Strengthen your business reputation by going the extra mile. Learn your customers’ names, make special accommodations for them, check in with them from time to time. Go one step further than they’d expect you to go. Note that it’s important to be consistent and realistic here. Make sure that your extra mile efforts are those which you can perform somewhat consistently and for many customers; not just every once in a while or for one. You don’t want to create an expectation that you can’t uphold, or favor some customers over others.”