As a business owner, you operate with ultimate authority over your brand and company. This means you have the final say in your company’s actions and decisions, including how you advertise it. Depending on your business type and industry, there are various ways to promote your business as an individual or brand.
Your reputation as a business owner is one of the first things customers learn about you when they discover who runs their favorite new cafe, clothing boutique, auto repair shop, or other small business. Your reputation may also be the most critical factor in whether potential customers support your brand with their dollars and cents—and whether they tell their friends about it or not.
If you haven’t yet cultivated a positive reputation for yourself and your company, don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to rebuild trust and loyalty from consumers, vendors, suppliers, partners, employees… the list goes on! Here are some tips for building trust in your brand and improving its recognition as a trustworthy entity:
Make transparency a priority.
One of the best ways to show your customers that you value their business is to be as transparent as possible in your actions. Transparency with customers might seem strange, but it’s a growing trend in the business world! It means you’re honest and forthcoming with customers about the good and the bad. It means you don’t try to hide your mistakes or issues, but rather that you take the time to explain them to your customers and let them know what you’re doing about them.
Transparency is the best way to show customers that you’re committed to your product or service and are willing to do what it takes to make them happy. For example, if a product runs out of stock, you don’t want to hide the fact. Instead, let customers know what’s happening and when they can expect restocks. It also means being honest about your company’s values, how you operate, and keeping your customers in the loop about any upcoming changes or developments in your business or answering any questions they might have.
Be honest, and don’t be afraid to admit mistakes.
It’s inevitable that you’ll make a mistake at some point in your business’s lifespan. As an employee, a vendor, a supplier, or an owner, you will make a mistake sooner or later. It’s part of being human. When you inevitably make a mistake, don’t be afraid to own up to it and move forward. More often than not, customers will be more forgiving than you expect. Customers may appreciate that you’re open with them about what went wrong and how you plan to prevent it in the future. Be honest with customers about why certain products or services were delivered late, were of subpar quality, or didn’t meet their expectations. Explain how you plan to improve your processes, so this doesn’t happen again. This can go a long way toward strengthening the relationship between you, your employees, and your customers.
Don’t be afraid to show your human side.
Brand reputation is built upon trust and relationships, and the best way to show customers that you’re a natural person and not just a business logo is to be honest, and to show your human side. You don’t have to become an Instagram influencer or start a blog to show your human side, either! For example, you can express your personality through your company’s website or social media. Add a funny quote or article to your website or social media posts, or even consider adding a “featured employee” section to your website that talks about your team members. If you have a team of people working for your business, it’s even more important to show your human side! Customers want to know that you’re not a faceless company but a group of people to whom they can relate.
Hold yourself and your employees to a high standard of behavior.
As a business owner, you can set the tone by which all other employees act and behave. This is especially true when your business mainly deals with customers online. At the same time, you can encourage employees to uphold your company’s values by setting a high standard for employee behavior. This can include everything from product quality to customer service to how employees treat each other. Being open and honest with employees about the expectations you have for them can go a long way toward strengthening the relationships between the two parties. At the same time, set a high standard of behavior for interacting with your employees, vendors, suppliers, and customers. Avoid making offensive jokes, name-calling, and being judgemental of others (especially if they are not part of your company), and be open to feedback.
Act on feedback and actively encourage it from customers
Feedback can come in many forms: an email, a Facebook message, a voicemail, a survey, or a comment on your blog post. No matter the method, feedback is an excellent way for customers to give you their perspective on your products and services. The best part? Customers usually offer this feedback because they have positive feelings about your brand and want to see it improve and succeed. When you receive feedback, act on it and make the necessary changes. Don’t ignore feedback or write it off as something only a few customers say. The more feedback you have from a variety of customers, the easier it is to spot a trend or pattern. Make the necessary changes when you have a clear idea of where your company needs improvement.
Offer employee benefits that are real and that people want.
When you’re starting out as a business owner, you may not be able to offer many employee benefits. However, there are always ways to give your employees a leg up while saving money in the process. One common practice is to offer employees the opportunity to work from home. Not only does this give employees the chance to work in a quiet environment that isn’t often provided by coffee shops, restaurants, or retail stores, but it can save your company money on office space. Another option is to offer flexible schedules that let employees choose their weekly hours. This can allow employees to balance work and family life, which can go a long way toward strengthening employee loyalty and retention.
Advertise your company and brand with care.
Many businesses rely almost entirely on word of mouth for new customers and brand recognition. While this isn’t a bad thing by any means, it can be challenging to keep your brand fresh in people’s minds when you have no budget for traditional advertising. To keep your brand fresh and in front of customers as much as possible, you can:
- Look for ways to plug your brand and company into current news stories.
- Find industry conferences or events, and ensure you have business cards and stickers to hand out to attendees.
- Host a meet-and-greet at a local coffee shop, bookstore, or cafe, and make sure you have branded swag available to gift out to attendees.
- Create an online presence to support what you do
- Attend trade shows
- Partner with other local businesses to help support each other
- Make sure your logo and branding accurately represent who you are and what you do
- Research your ideal customers and make sure you are targeting them via the appropriate channels
- Work with influencers in your niche
Keep your finances in good order.
Keeping track of your company’s finances isn’t something you can afford to put off until later. Make sure you regularly track your income, expenses, and cash flow to keep your company solvent. This will also make tax season much easier on you as a business owner, as you’ll have everything you need to make a tax return. You can keep track of your financial status using business accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks. These programs can help you track your income and expenses and forecast your cash flow, so you know when to expect money from customers to come in.
Give something back
No matter what industry you’re in or what type of business you’re running, you can always find a way to give back to the communities you serve. This can include hosting charity events or fundraisers, hosting lectures partnering with local charities or non-profits, donating products or services, or offering discounted rates to people in need. Make sure you maintain a high standard when offering discounted services or products to those in need. This can be a great way to strengthen your brand’s reputation while helping people who need it.
Conclusion
As a business owner, it can feel like you’re constantly on the go and always have more to do than you have time for. At the same time, being able to strengthen your reputation can be worth the time and effort as it allows you to solidify your brand and support your business by increasing your customer base and improving sales.
