We’ve evolved into an era where information is the greatest form of currency. With the over-saturation of the internet and many potential customers, you have to establish a strong reputation for your brand and online presence. Despite this, we’ve found few people really know about the power of reputation marketing when it comes to sales and business.
Reputation marketing is a proactive approach that creates a positive image surrounding a brand by targeting bad press, reviews, or other forms of content. Fortunately for you, many businesses don’t harness the superpowers of this strategy, which gives you a leg up. One of the easiest strategies reputation marketers use is embedded reviews and testimonials on websites or content.
So how do you find clients that are willing to let you use these strategies? It all starts with you. The most important strategy to gaining and retaining reputation marketing clients is to lead by example. Use this strategy to leverage and grow your business in order to show clients what you can do for them. When they see your skills through your personal reputation marketing, they will want you to do the same for them.
You might be thinking, “That sounds great, but how do I do that?” Glad you asked! Keep reading for our top 4 tips on how to gain and retain reputation marketing clients.
1) Build a Reputable Brand Image
Like I mentioned before, you want to build a brand people can trust. The most important thing is for people to look up to and respect what you stand for. Prospecting clients want to see that you practice what you preach. Think of your brand this way: It’s about the value you add to your target customers. For example, Offline Sharks teaches you how to help small businesses and get paid handsomely for it.
Just like every other industry, people want to see that you can deliver on what you offer. If you wanted to hire a personal trainer, you wouldn’t hire someone who doesn’t work out, eat healthy, or maintain a healthy body. Why? Because you wouldn’t trust that they could offer you results.
To gain and retain reputation marketing clients, you have to make them trust your results. So start putting your own strategies to work and the clients will follow.
2) Hire Employees with Integrity
One mistake I see business owners make is hiring the person who is the most qualified, instead of the most honorable. Or worse, hiring the cheapest option instead of the one most qualified—not to mention honorable. Truth be told, all marketing skills can be taught… besides good character. Your work force forms the backbone of your business, and you can only be as strong as your weakest link.
Have you ever had a bad customer experience and vowed to never go to the business before? Or seen bad reviews on places like Yelp due to a sour interaction with a staff member? That one negative employee might be the exception, but it only takes one bad experience to lose a customer.
Positive information about your brand and your team are essential to keeping customers coming back. This is also a major component to word of mouth marketing. If you want to keep your customers happy, keep getting referrals, and welcome new clients, find team members who uplift and represent your brand with integrity.
3) Ask Customers for Honest Feedback
Sometimes business owners assume their customers are dumb. That’s a huge mistake. They think the customer “won’t know” if information or ads are good. The truth is, the consumer is savvy. “The customer is always right,” still holds validity, even when you offer them a specialized skill they don’t entirely understand. Let them inform you about your work, even though your instincts might tell you to disregard it.
Instead of paying influencers or marketing campaigns for exposure, start asking your customers for honest feedback. This can be in exchange for a discount, a free service, or an exclusive membership. Regardless of your offer, this will get you real feedback.
People can tell when reviews are “paid” or when information isn’t accurate. This generally leads to a bad reputation because customers feel lied to. Or they feel like the feedback wasn’t “earned.” Start asking your real customers for real feedback and you’ll start scoring like a pro.
4) Communicate Effectively and Authentically
As great as positive reviews and your online presence may be, it won’t be enough. You have to stand out in emails, phone calls, or anything else that represents your business. In my experience, people are quick to tell whether the image you’re putting out is authentic. In order to differentiate yourself, you have to have a clear message. Every time you communicate with a potential customer, it’s an audition—even if it feels like just another cold call or email.
Authenticity will help you get and retain clients like none other. Be passionate and clear about who you are and what you stand for. Customers are attracted to brands who stick true to their mission. If you want to see your business boom in 2022, stay consistent, authentic, and passionate.
Reputation marketing can be a superpower if leveraged correctly. Don’t let these strategies and tactics slip by and let your prospects get eaten by wolves. Make them believe that no one can represent them better than you can. After adopting these strategies, you’ll naturally become a Reputation Marketing Expert.
Further Reading: How to Ensure Your Agency Gets Good Reviews
