As a business, it can often be difficult to establish credibility. But, brand credibility is an essential part of the process of bringing in new customers. Many marketing experts note it as one of the main psychological factors that can trigger the buying impulse of consumers.
It’s important to recognise that becoming a credible business can take time, often coming with years of industry experience. With this in mind, there are certain things you can do to easily develop brand credibility and maintain a good business image.
Here are three easy ways you can improve the image of your business and take the first steps towards establishing credibility:
1. Use your customers and employees as brand ambassadors
Consumers tell an average of 9 people about good experiences, and 16 people about poor experiences. This means that you’ll need almost twice as many good customer reviews as bad ones if you simply want to avoid a bad reputation! If you want to become known as a credible business, you’re going to need to encourage your most loyal customers and employees to shout about the good things you do. Make them your brand ambassadors.
If you don't ask, you don't get. Chances are, you have plenty of customers and employees who love your business and the service you provide. From positive personal experiences to business USPs that you may have never considered, these people will all have a different perspective on the benefits of your business.
Why not send an email campaign to your most loyal customers, asking them to leave reviews on your Facebook and Google+ pages? What about offering a reward scheme for employees who regularly post positive updates about your company on social media? You could even use social media to ‘publicly’ ask your customers what specific things they like about your company. There’s an abundance of ways you can encourage these people to become brand ambassadors – just be creative and see what you can come up with! And, with 92% of consumers trusting recommendations from people they know, these brand ambassadors could become an essential part of your marketing strategy.
2. Position yourself as a thought leader
It’s easier than ever to position yourself as a thought leader – someone who is thought-provoking, drives innovation and is considered as an expert in their industry.
It all starts with social media platforms, such as LinkedIn or Facebook – different platforms can be more effective depending on your type of business. Make sure that you’re constantly asking and answering questions, and posting disruptive updates that make people stop and think.
You can even do something as simple as sharing an article, then asking your network for their opinion on the matter. As long as you’re starting meaningful and innovative conversations, you’re on the right path to becoming a thought leader. Have you considered writing your own blog?
3. Invest in a virtual office
One of the least time-consuming ways to improve the image of your business is through investing in a virtual office. Compared to some of the other business investments you’ll make, the cost of this will be a drop in the ocean.
If you work from home, then a virtual office can be ideal for improving the professional image of your business. With a registered business address in Leeds, London, or another city, you can make your business seem more established and reliable, meaning potential customers are more likely to trust you.
A virtual office would also be ideal for you if you often find yourself too busy to answer the phone. With options for a reception answering service, you can be certain that you never miss an important call again!
And those are just a few of the many business benefits of virtual offices.
As experts in serviced offices, we have years of experience in helping businesses grow. Are you looking for an office provider that simply provides office space, or an office provider that can give you professional advice on how to improve the image of your business? Why not book a viewing at our luxury serviced office space in Leeds?
