In business, it’s important to maintain a strong reputation, one that draws people in with positive expectations about what they’re going to get. Integrity is the fuel to a successful business. You can hardly reach out to the right audience without it.
But what if you’re trying to build a business without any following? Startups certainly face an uphill battle in becoming relevant in their respective niches. With the right strategies, however, they can gain an audience.
Let’s look at a few marketing tools that work really well for any budding business:
- Leverage all channels
The first thing you need to do is to determine the avenues for reaching out to your audience. Social media is inexpensive. There’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to help you get your brand across. Emails and professional blogs are also great for delivering messages that support your brand. When drafting your strategy, you need to consider the strengths that each marketing channel has in order to make the most of them.
- Create a compelling humanized brand identity
Your brand can say a lot about your credibility. While it seems so easy to tell people you’re the “the leading this” and “the most trusted that”, building a solid brand takes a lot of time and effort to pull off. Nonetheless, all that you need to do is to create an identity that touches on the human side of your business. Ask yourself what it is you need to achieve in the short and long term. You may also infuse your brand with a personality that serves as a reference when you’re designing a logo, choosing fonts, and picking the right color schemes for all the materials you are using.
- Join a community
Connections are important when you’re just starting out. There are people out there who can become your strongest brand advocates, so it’s important that you reach out to them wherever they converge. In other words, you can join online forums and discussion boards within your industry. You can also showcase your business in public events where people could include you in their networks. Workshops and conferences are obviously a goldmine of valuable connections, so be sure to join them whenever you have the chance. The plus side to this is that your attendance can show your audience you’re already part of the conversation.
- Take reviews seriously
Perhaps, the most effective means of gaining credibility is through customer feedback. Then again, several studies suggest that customers are more likely to give a review if they have had a bad experience. One bad review can snowball into more bad reviews, which can significantly hurt the credibility of your business. Getting all positive reviews is impossible but you can control the volume that comes in if you listen to what your audience says. In most cases, you will need to respond to their feedback and assure them that you’re always taking their ideas and emotions into account.
Are you looking to increase your credibility as a business? You’re already covered! Just use the tips above to help you build a business with brand authority!
