A lot of people know that maintaining a reputation is important especially for businesses. However, some people only focus on how people see their brands on the internet (i.e. their online reputation). That’s why during the Philippine Social Media Week, Amor Maclang (Founder and & Chief Communications Officer of Geisermaclang) and Kiruba Shankar (CEO of Business Blogging) shared a few insights on why we should care about our offline reputation.
Why should we build our offline reputation for our business?
One of the first things that Amor asked the audience was this: “do you remember the last ten things that you liked on social media this morning?” Surprisingly, only a handful said yes, which brings her to her point. According to her, “social media affects us subconsciously. Our brains are designed to prioritize reality over digital dreamscape. You might be addicted to social media but your memory is not.” What this means is that while online reputation is effective for extending your reach, your offline reputation will help deepen the connections with your customers. And if you would ask entrepreneurs, many would say that building a relationship with your target market is one of the most important things in running a business.
READ MORE: Digital Marketing Experts Tell Us The 5 Things We Need To Remember When Going Digital
Now that we know why building your offline reputation, the next question should be “how?” Here are a few tips on how to beef up your offline rep.
4. Do something out of the ordinary
There are times when competition can be really high and the market can become saturated. That’s why it’s becoming important to stand out. Why would the customers choose you over the other brands? Think about what will separate you from the others. People will likely remember you for it.
3. Do not underestimate the power of word of mouth
A good review from a single person can come a long way. A recommendation from one person can reach two more. And those two other persons can share it with two other people and so on. Aside from widening your network, it will make you look more credible because people will likely trust the word of someone they already know.
2. Be quick when it comes to complaints
No one is perfect. We all make mistakes but that only means we have more room to grow and improve. If ever you mess up, the best course of action is to say sorry and rectify the mistake. Making an honest mistake and owning up to it will definitely send a good message to your patrons and leave a good impression to new followers.
1. Put yourself out there
Make yourself be heard. It doesn’t matter if you start with just one person. Who knows? That one person could introduce you to a thousand more. A few things that Kiruba Shankar suggested to put yourself out there are the following–write a column in a newspaper, attend a talk, and organize live events. As Amor Maclang earlier said, “Strong Brand reputations aren’t built from behind your desk. Get real. Get out there.”
For more tips on social media marketing, follow the official page of Social Media Week 2019.
Philippines Social Media Week 2019
www.facebook.com/PhilippineSocialMediaWeek
What do you think about the tips? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below!
