The internet profoundly affects any kind of business. That is why most businesses today use the internet to spread the word not only within a locality, but to a much wider audience.
However, placing your business on the web is not a simple matter of creating a website and putting all your products and services in a fancy layout. There is also some work to be done which, when given proper attention can boost sales.
Apart from letting people know what you can offer the public, you also need to ensure that you maintain a good reputation that can win people’s trust. You, as an entrepreneur, need to protect the image of your business.
Negative views about your business should always be addressed. Managing your online reputation is no longer just an option, but a necessary strategy to keep your business going.
Here are some tips on how to do this.
- Create accounts on different social media platforms. Be as responsive as you can. When your customer sends a message, whether they are positive or negative, you should always respond. Never take any negative criticism personally. Sometimes, the worst feedbacks are the ones that can help you strengthen your business.
- If you falter, seek experts that will help repair your damaged reputation. Let’s face it. Not everyone has the knack for words and getting people who can pacify “angry” customers will help you win back their trust.
- You must also remember that the needs of the consumers change with the times. Therefore, you should always be aware of the things that may be important to the consumers these days. Checking on your competitors may give you an idea of how you can add a product by making a few improvements.
- Most business owners are content with just having a website. However, all those colorful images are not enough to keep your business ahead of others. The most important thing is to enrich the content so that people would be enticed to check out the whole website rather than just look at it for 3 seconds before checking out the website of your competitor.
- Most people today rely on forums where consumers talk about their experiences with a certain company, product or service. And whatever they read online can influence their choices. Therefore, always check on how you stand in these forums. From there, you may be able to see what aspects of your business need improvement.
- If for instance, you come across a blogger who gave a negative feedback about what you offered, talk to this person and ask them what could make him/her change his/her mind about how he perceives your company, product or service. Again, whatever this person tells you, accept it and learn from it.
It is impossible to please everyone. However, you need to make sure that you are a business or a company that people respect. Be diligent in checking out how you are perceived by others and constantly look into how you can make consumers choose your products or services and become your loyal customers.
Get The Business Mentor’s latest book “35 Tips On Business” available on E-book and paperback at www.amazon.com
(Armando Bartolome is known as the Philippines’ Franchise Guru, a mentor to numerous micro entrepreneurs who are now themselves big names in the industry. This article is reposted with the author’s permission and was previously published on The Business Mentor column posted by ABSCBN News. For questions and more information, you may contact Armando “Butz” Bartolome by email: philfranchiseguru@gmail.com or on Twitter @philfranguru. His website is https://www.gmbmsglobal.com/ )
