Reputation marketing has a massive impact on your strategy. It even has more influence than expert opinions and ads. To channel this influence, businesses leverage their positive reviews, high ratings, social media posts, and more to create a solid online reputation. However, many make costly mistakes or forget about their reputation entirely. This sadly leaves their business scrambling to pick up the slack from poor reviews, little social proof, and low consumer trust. The bottom line is if your prospects and customers don’t trust you, your marketing will inevitably fail.
So, why is reputation so powerful?
FURTHER READING: What is Reputation Marketing and Who Needs It?
You Have More Control Than You Think
For one, a business may not understand how crucial their online reputation actually is. They may see their Google stars and reviews as part of the puzzle, but in reality, their entire public perception is based on those first few impressions when someone searches for their services. A business may not realize that, through reputation management and marketing, they can cultivate and highlight the positives about their business. In fact, I’ve seen multiple businesses go from scraping by to thriving just by taking the reins over their reputation! It’s amazing how quickly you create growth and recurring customers.
Before you can optimize your reputation management and marketing, you need to understand what NOT to do. These mistakes cost businesses thousands in money and heartache, so learn not to make them! Invest in your reputation the right way, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success.
FURTHER READING: How to Gain and Retain Reputation Marketing Clients: Our Top 4 Strategy to Building Your Brand’s Image
Fatal Mistakes and Their Solutions
Reputation marketing is simple, but it takes some planning before jumping in. Here are three of the most common mistakes that cost businesses thousands and how to solve them.
Mistake #1: Not Utilizing Positive Feedback as Social Proof
We live in a world of internet marketing, so it makes sense that, you know, marketing is the key to engagement and conversion, right? Not so fast! That may be the case when you’re just starting out, but after you’ve acquired a few wins, that positive feedback holds immense power. However, not everyone knows how to leverage it, and business owners often just file those reviews away without a second thought.
The Solution
What’s the best way to start? Showcase your positive feedback to build trust and authority with your prospects. This includes displaying positive reviews and testimonies on your website pages, highlighting the top-notch experiences you provide. This is incredibly effective because it reduces the natural trepidation prospects have. By showing them the results you’ve created for others, you prove to them that you walk the walk.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Criticism
No matter how stellar your business, you’ll inevitably encounter some criticism. The HUGE mistake is that too many businesses ignore their criticism. This happens because they instinctively don’t want someone else’s feedback to impact their business decisions or get in their head. I totally understand this line of thinking, but ignoring a bad review or negative email misses something big. In fact, the more you act like negative feedback doesn’t exist, the less your prospects will trust you. Not good!
The Solution
Instead of worrying about being “problem-free”, focus on being “problem-freed.” Here’s what I mean: Everyone loves a flawless experience, but the best way to leave an unforgettable impression is to correct an issue promptly. Doing this can quickly change the heart of an unhappy customer, proving that you’re dedicated to THEM… not just their wallet. So, the next time you notice a negative review on your page or unhappy email slide into your inbox, take some time to reach out and make it right. They’ll notice.
Mistake #3: Prioritizing the “Experts” Over Real People
Experts hold immense weight in our space, don’t they? How often do we see product pages and websites covered in quotes from “Mr or Mrs. Professional” about how important service A or product B is? Now, don’t get me wrong: Doing this has its place in your marketing, no doubt about it. However, if you rely too heavily on an “expert opinion,” it’ll create a disconnect between you and your prospect. Why? Because we trust our peers more than someone with letters after their name. We instinctively trust someone we can relate to, and think, “Yeah, they’ve been in my shoes. They get me.”
The Solution
People trust their peers more than experts they don’t know, so the most effective strategy is to showcase testimonies from people similar to your target audience. An expert’s opinion can be helpful, but don’t rely on it. Instead, focus on highlighting positive experiences from ordinary folks; their stories are substantially more relatable and impactful to your readers. Plus, it’s an efficient way to foster a community around your product or service, leading to even better growth and engagement! It’s a win-win.
Repetition is the key to learning, so the more you show up for your prospects and customers, the more they’ll show up for you. Keep these solutions in mind and go create the reputation of your dreams!
ALSO READ: How to Ensure Your Agency Gets Good Reviews
