Many years ago, before all the current technology, a small business lived or died by word of mouth.
If Mrs Smith told her neighbour that your handmade candles were amazing, you gained a customer.
If she said they’d arrived broken…well, you probably heard about it quickly and had the chance to put things right.
What about today? Word of mouth hasn’t disappeared.
It’s just moved online.
Every review, Facebook recommendation, Instagram comment, Google search result, and customer photo is telling part of your story.
Whether you’re aware of it or not, your brand is quietly introducing you to people every single day.
And here’s the important bit…
Your brand isn’t your logo..I’m sure that most of you know this…
- It isn’t your colours.
- It isn’t your font.
Your brand is the feeling people get when they come across your business.
That’s why managing your online reputation matters so much.
Put yourself in your customers’ shoes
Imagine you’ve heard about a lovely handmade business.
What’s the first thing you do?
Most of us will:
- Google the business.
- Look at their website.
- Check their Facebook or Instagram.
- Read a few reviews.
- Decide within minutes whether they feel trustworthy.
Your customers do exactly the same.
So, it’s a really good idea to become your own customer every couple of months! What do I mean by this? Have you every searched your business name online – or searched your actual name online? Give it a go – you’ll be surprised how much information there is out there about you and your business. I do this about once every two months – it also helps me see if any particular blog post has been searched.
Search for your business name online
What appears?
Is the information accurate?
Are your contact details correct?
Does your website still work?
Are your latest social media posts recent enough to show you’re still in business?
Would you buy from you?
Keep an eye on your reputation!
You don’t have to obsess over every mention of your business, but it is worth knowing what’s being said.
Setting up Google Alerts for your business name is still a useful way to spot mentions online, especially if you’ve been featured in blogs or local news.
More importantly, keep an eye on your reviews and comments across the platforms where you spend most of your time.
People don’t expect perfection.
They do expect a response.
Don’t panic about negative reviews
No one enjoys receiving criticism.
But here’s something that might surprise you…
A business with hundreds of perfect five-star reviews can actually look less believable than one with the occasional four-star review and a thoughtful, helpful reply.
When someone leaves genuine feedback:
- reply politely
- acknowledge their experience
- offer to put things right where appropriate
- never argue publicly
Future customers are often reading your response just as much as the original review.
Every post builds your Brand
Every post, photo, email, and comment is another tiny piece of your reputation.
Ask yourself:
If someone saw only this one post, what impression would they get of my business?
- Would they think you’re helpful?
- Friendly?
- Creative?
- Professional?
- Reliable?
Your brand isn’t built in one big launch.
It’s built in hundreds of small moments.
I’ve got a little challenge for you …
This week, spend ten minutes becoming your own customer.
- Search for your business.
- Visit your website.
- Read your latest posts.
- Look at your reviews.
Then ask yourself one simple question…
Does this feel like the business I want people to remember?
Because your reputation isn’t just what people think about you.
It’s one of the strongest parts of your brand.
I hope you found this helpful – it definitely makes you think – I’ve changed quite a few things over the past year because I’ve not liked certain aspects of my website or social media after pretending to be my own customer.
Give it a whirl and let me know how you get on!
Feature image generated by WordPress AI.
If you are a creative person, you may find that everyday jobs like email, accounts, taxes, marketing, social media or marketing, a distraction from what you want to be focussing on. Hiring someone to do those jobs for you is a great option, and hiring in an expert gives you peace of mind that everything will be done to a high standard and you can stop worrying about it.
Running your own business can be very isolating and this can be depressing if you were previously used to working in a busy environment. There are always local groups of small businesses who get together to network, have lunch and generally chat about their businesses. Join some of those groups and meet other people … it’s highly motivating to talk to someone who is enthusiastic about what they do and that energy is contagious and will help you to revive your excitement about your business.
When you’re first in business, it’s like being in love. Exhilarating, exciting, stimulating. Then, after a while, it might feel like your business is losing its appeal, it’s become humdrum and a bit boring, as reality of day to day life sets in. It’s hard work and maybe not as financially rewarding as you hoped…and it makes you tired and irritable.
So what’s the secret to rekindling the love for your business? Remind yourself of all the good things…make a list of all that’s good about your business, the positive things it brings you. What really matters to you and what ignited that spark to be in business in the first time? And finally, never lose hope, being in business for yourself isn’t a bed of roses, but with a little bit of patience and effort, you can learn to love it again and keep it alive and kicking.