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MARKETING
What is reputation
marketing?
Combining elements of brand marketing and reputation
management, reputation marketing is all about using
people's opinions about your company - as reflected
in customer reviews and testimonies, social media
mentions, online ratings and community awards - to
improve and maintain your company's image.
Using these 'brand assets' in your advertising,
promotional materials and social media - and
highlighting positive posts, comments and reviews
in a strategic way - helps to raise the profile of your
business and promote its positive qualities.
This is effective in persuading prospective customers
to buy your product or service. According to research
carried out last year by customer service software
providers Dixa, 93% of customers will read online
reviews before making a purchase.
While in a survey by NiceJob, a marketing software
company, 74% of customers are more likely to use a
company that has reviews on its website, and 90% of
them trust customer reviews more than a salesperson.
So don't let those positive reviews and comments
go to waste. Reputational marketing can use them
strategically to drive more customers your way.
strategies on the horizon, and help you cut through the 'noise'.
Here's an overview of some of the simple but cost-effective
ways to reach a whole new client base...
Net value
A website is essential for any business - it's the first port
of call for anyone wanting to check out your services, and
it sets the scene for how your company will be perceived.
Many people won't even consider using a company if it
doesn't have a website, as it seems less legitimate.
If you want to attract more people to your website, you
need to get to grips with search engine optimisation (SEO).
This involves achieving a higher ranking on search engines
such as Google when keywords are used, pushing your
website up the listings so it is more visible, thereby boosting
traffic. An SEO specialist can advise you and use analytics
to track and improve performance.
Write on!
To encourage people to keep coming back to your website,
you need regular new content. A simple blog can achieve
this, but it needs to be engaging and relevant. For instance,
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an ingredients manufacturer might have a food blog with
recipes using its products; a healthcare provider could offer
articles about boosting wellbeing; and an outdoor apparel
company may provide hiking route guides.
The website needs to have value to potential customers,
and ideally invite comments and engagement. Visuals such
as infographics work well, too. Bear in mind that blogs need
to be updated frequently to lure readers back. Writing is a
specialist skill, so if you're not confident you can do it well,
consider engaging a copywriter to do it for you.
You've got email
Used well, emails promoting your services or products can
be very successful; used badly, they're just annoying spam.
Email marketing is inexpensive and easy, so it's ideal for
SMEs on a budget - but make sure you stay on the right
side of the law by understanding GDPR rules about consent
and data protection.
Play it smart
Adverts and targeted messages sent to mobile devices are
a growing trend. Computer use still dominates 9am to 5pm,
but mobile phones and tablets take over in the evenings
and account for more than half of all time spent online
(according to Statista).
Ofcom predicts that by 2025, 95% of the UK population
will have a smartphone - that's roughly 65 million people
- so your firm needs to reach its audience via these devices.
Again, GDPR is an important consideration.
Your Business With James Caan Autumn 2024 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Your Business With James Caan Autumn 2024 1
