Your business relies on a solid reputation. Referrals and word-of-mouth advertising have the potential to bring in new customers and create loyal customers as well. Your reputation can often make or break your bottom line financial goals, and a bad reputation can be difficult to repair immediately.
Nowadays, your company’s reputation is not just dictated by the experiences clients have in your brick and mortar space. Instead, your reputation is also being cultivated online. Thanks to technology and social media, customers and clients can quickly share their experiences of working with you to a vast network of acquaintances. Sound scary? It can certainly feel scary sometimes, as the internet can feel like the wild west. However, you can build your online reputation with a few of our best practices.
Ask for Reviews
Your online reputation begins with online reviews. Don’t be afraid to ask customers to review your business online via Google, Yelp, or another online review site. Get in the habit of asking customers for a review via follow up email after their purchase or after service concludes, as well as putting a link to a review site directly in your email signature. Your online reviews will not only build your star rating, but you can also pull quotes from reviews to use on your social media feed or website.
Respond to Feedback
You want to be responsive online, just as you are with “in real life” customers. Make someone in your office the responsible party for connecting with customers via social media and review sites. If someone leaves a comment, positive or negative, acknowledge it and respond appropriately. This will show you are responsive and have excellent online customer service.
Don’t Hide From Negative Feedback
Most businesses will receive some type of negative feedback or review online. It can feel jarring and make even the most seasoned business owners feel nervous. After all, once something is online, it is out there for everyone to see. However, resist the urge to delete or hide from the negative feedback. Instead, respond to it and investigate it. Encourage the reviewer to contact your office directly to talk more about it on the phone or in person. If you are able to resolve the issue for both parties, ask the reviewer to return to the site and edit their review.
Let Us Help
Even the best businesses can get caught heading down a road of poor online reputation. Let the team at Search SEO Elmhurst help. We’ll learn more about your business and about how
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