Every business wants a good, strong reputation, and every customer wants to choose a company they know will treat them right.
According to Forbes magazine, the secret to reputation management is giving. Show customers you care, and you’ll find that more start to roll in.
Do you want your company to have as positive a reputation as possible? Keep reading for our top 9 positive marketing tips that will bag your business more clients, and more money.
1. Quality First, Quality Always
First things first. In the end, customers are looking for quality over anything else. People may start off looking for a great deal, but when expectations aren’t met, they’ll end up looking elsewhere.
To build a positive reputation, you need to deliver quality everything. Quality products, quality services, and quality customer service are all essential to build trust in your company and forge an unbreakable reputation.
As part of your positive marketing strategy, give your customers quality assurance. Let them know that whenever they deal with you, they can rest assured they’re getting top service every step of the way.
2. Dress Your Website to Impress
One of the best marketing strategies is to always ‘dress to impress’. What do your customers think of when they hear your name, or see your website? Do they think organized, well-put-together, knows what they’re doing?
Like a sophisticated woman in a black dress and pearls, you want your customers to take one look at your website and know exactly where in the market you fit. Make sure each web page is cohesive and matches your overall branding and theme.
Because your website is your online front door, you need it to be perfect. Unless you’re a web wizard, work with companies like Victory Alliance Marketing, who know their stuff and will help you achieve the look you need.
Remember, your reputation isn’t based purely on how much you make, but rather on the people behind the name. So, put yourself out there and show off your good taste. Flash your classiness, not your cash
3. Reach out to Your Client Base
A great way to retain the customers you have, and reach out to new ones, is by keeping in regular contact. Customers don’t want to feel like all you want is their money, so once you’ve got them on board, show them why you’re the best show in town.
Social media and email campaigns are some of the most effective marketing strategies out there. And better still, if customers like what they see, they can simply forward your content to one of their friends or colleagues, so you’ll get more exposure in an instant.
Social Media
Social media has exploded in recent years and is now used by around 40% of people all over the world. It makes sense, then, to harness the power of social media and use it as one of your marketing techniques to drive your business forward.
Keep your topics interesting, and keep an eye on what your customers want to see. Post helpful facts, hints and tips, and promotions on your social media channels, and watch out for customer engagement.
You’ll need to make sure you nominate staff members to monitor and reply to customer comments and feedback. But once clients see your online presence and interaction, it will help strengthen your reputation and their trust.
Email Marketing
Email marketing campaigns are a great way to show your best self to your customers. Most, if not all, of your clients and potential clients will have email, and it’s a great low-pressure way to make contact and engage.
Through gentle but regular contact, you can provide information on product updates, changes in the market, new services your customers may be interested in, or simply just a, ‘Hey there. How are you getting on with us?’
Don’t be pushy or go for the hard sell as part of your email strategy, but rather provide information your target audience will enjoy. Putting a smile on their face will help you stick in their minds and bump your reputation up a few points in the process.
4. Create Quality Content
Another successful marketing strategy is content marketing. Quality content can majorly boost your business reputation and gives you the ability to speak with authority on what’s going on in your field.
When writing content, don’t just include what interests you, or what feels safe. To really pique the interest of your clients, you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone.
As yourself questions like:
- What’s going on in the market today?
- What’s on the mind of my customer?
- Is there a controversial issue I have strong feelings about?
- Can I educate potential customers on my point of view in a positive way?
Another way you can find out about what could interest your customers is by taking a peek at your competitors. Have a look at their websites – what comments have people left? Is there a burning question that needs to be answered?
When you create thought-provoking content that is of value to consumers, it will help them feel they’re getting value for their time, and provide the hook that will help you reel them in.
5. Less Is More
Like we said in #3, you want to show off your class, not your cash. It’s almost always more sophisticated to keep it simple with just a few embellishments to draw the eye.
When creating a successful marketing strategy, you’ll need to make sure each component makes sense and matches the other. For example, keep your branding consistent through all your social media channels, your email, your website, and your business.
Simple yet important things like a standard logo and color scheme will help your customers associate your name with what they see online. Don’t clutter your image with too many fonts, colors or information.
It’s far better to keep your online presence looking sharp, elegant, and sophisticated through good coordination.
6. Know Your Audience
When creating a successful marketing campaign, you need to know who you’re marketing to. It’s only when you’ve got the lowdown on your desired customer base that you’ll be able to speak to them and get them interested in your company.
Understanding your ideal customer is like creating a character in a novel. You need to know all sorts of things about them, from where they live and what their income is, to their favorite color (seriously – it helps)!
Get out your notepad and pen, and then answer questions like:
- How old are they?
- Where do they live?
- How much do they earn?
- What’s their lifestyle?
- Do they have kids?
- Where would they buy my product or service?
- What’s their buying strategy?
Once you’ve got a rounded out picture of who you’re marketing to, you’ll be able to tailor your strategy and hit them right between the eyes.
7. Reward Referrals
Another brilliant and successful marketing technique is to give your current customers an incentive to brag about you. When your clients experience your excellent customer service, your quality products and services and your client care, they’ll already be recommending you to any friend that asks.
Give them an incentive to tell all their friends about you, and they’ll start to take the initiative themselves. The best part? You’ll get positive publicity from the people who are best placed to give it.
By promoting ‘refer a friend’ bonuses, you’ll be sure to see a great return on your investment.
8. Be an Expert: Educate
One fail-proof way to build a trusted reputation is to be an expert in your field, and educate people along the way. Not only does practical information enhance your consumers, but it also empowers them to make better decisions.
Before you employ this positive marketing technique, you’ll need to be thorough in your research, and get your facts straight. You need to show your customers you know your stuff, so there’s no room for error in the information you give them.
As with #4, you’ll need to find out what’s on the minds of your target market, find the information niche, and fill it with well-researched, thought-provoking answers.
9. Be Consistent
The glue that holds the best marketing strategies together is consistency. While every component above is essential to building a strong business reputation, you can’t be a one-trick pony. You need to keep working on your marketing techniques like it’s your job (because it kind of is).
After you’ve finished writing your first blog post, start on the second one and pop it in a publishing queue. Once you’ve sent out your welcome email, prepare your next few months’ worth, and automate them to go out as needed.
You’ll need to think several social media posts in advance, and have ideas for content up your sleeve at all times. Sure, it’s a lot of work, but when your marketing strategies are consistent, your customers will remember you, and your reputation, when you least expect it.
Positive Marketing Strategies – The Takeaway
It goes without saying that your business is only as good as its reputation, so building a strong one is vital to your success. By focusing on quality, having a cohesive website and keeping it simple, you’ll be well on your way to building a brand your customers will respect.
Focus on your audience’s needs, and positive marketing will ensure they know you have the product or service for them. Keep our top 9 tips in your back pocket, and you’ll build yourself a reputation everyone will admire.
Do you want help with increasing positive reviews for your company? Why not contact us and see how we can help.