The importance of image is growing. The days are gone when a company could succeed if they were “just about the product.” People want more than that. They want to know who they’re buying from, their values, and how they live up to those values in real life. Image is an important piece of the puzzle for any business today – but it’s not easy! It takes work and creativity on your part to build a positive perception that will draw people in.
People pay attention to what a company does and how they do it. If you’re a local business, that means going above and beyond in your location or neighborhood. Be involved in the community. Sponsor a Little League team. Offer financial literacy workshops at the library – whatever makes sense for your company based on your product or service lines. Put yourself out there! When people get to know you, even if they don’t become customers right away, they’ll have a better relationship with your brand over time simply because of who you are as an organization.
Outreach doesn’t have to be difficult! It just takes a little imagination and creativity about where you reach out, to whom, and what kind of message you want to send across. Here are some tips for making your company or brand into something customers love.
Find a Voice
How do you talk to people? If your business is a brick-and-mortar store, does your marketing material have the feel of a high-end department store or a down-home country general store? You may think that customers need to come in and “get to know” your products or service before they can decide what kind of personality it has. That’s not true! Your current and future customers are already making assumptions about you based on how you write, speak and interact.
If you’re reaching out online with social media posts, tweets, and blog articles, formal language and a highly professional tone make sense for some companies. However, sometimes that comes across as cold and distant – very unapproachable! How can we expect people to like a business when it acts like a company doesn’t even need them? If you want to be likable, find a voice that is friendly and positive. Speak naturally. Get personal!
Be Authentic
Forget the “one size fits all” approach to your marketing material or messaging. Customers can tell if it feels fake. That doesn’t mean you have to share too much – let’s not get crazy here! But do try to make sure your stories are genuine and specific to you as an organization or individual brand. When people understand who you are, they will feel more connected with your company – and they’ll want to keep buying from you simply because they know what kind of business it is behind the curtain!
Get Involved With Your Community
Businesses that are involved in their community experience higher rates of customer retention and have better relationships with the people they work with. The more connected your company feels to its surroundings, the more likely customers will be to want to keep coming back time and time again – not just because of great products, but because they know your business.
Keep Your Promises
It may feel like a lot of pressure to live up to the promises you’re making on your website and in your advertising – but remember: this is what people base their first impressions of you on. If they trust that they can believe everything you say, then they will want to continue doing business with you.
Treat Staff Well
Your employees are the face of your company to the outside world, so be sure they’re always given the same love and respect you want customers to show them. Treat them well, and they will be happy to treat your customers well. It’s a pretty simple equation – when people are smiling, it makes everything better.
Final Thoughts
When people become familiar with your business, you’ll find they’re coming back to you for lots of different reasons. You’ve just got to show them that underneath that logo or behind that website is a business filled with real people who are working hard to provide valuable products and services.
There’s no way around it – being liked takes work! But the more time, energy, and attention you put into developing relationships with existing customers and serving new ones will pay off in spades! Your business deserves to have happy, loyal fans – so go out there, find your voice, be authentic and get involved!
