- Make sure your brand is consistent across all platforms – website; marketing materials; advertisements and so on. Get professional help if you need it.
- Review the way you describe your business – the kind of words you use. Do they accurately reflect what you are all about as a business.
- Little things matter – customer parking spaces; warm welcome at a tidy and efficient reception; clean company vehicles; clean crockery for drinks at meetings; return calls and emails promptly; talk more and write less; there are endless examples!
- Ensure your staff understand what matters to you – this is about your company values; what is acceptable and what is not; what you are trying to achieve; and how you are going to measure them against that objective; and how they will benefit.
- Get their total buy in to your goals.
- Review your customer ‘moments of truth’ – work out the key contact moments with all your customers/potential customers and make sure that everyone is carefully managed for maximum impact. And research your customers so you can show an interest in what they do!
- Do what you say you are going to do – every time; and if things go wrong – hold your hands up and be transparent about it. Everyone makes mistakes – putting them right can win more friends and actually enhance your reputation!
- Have clear policies on company messages on social media and on the internet – decide who is going to be your Twitter or Facebook voice.
- Say thank you when you win new business – and stay in touch with customers once the contract has been completed. Ask them whether they are happy with your service. Build friendly but professional partnerships.
- Keep all your digital activity up to date – it is your shop window and means you are effectively open for business 24 hours a day. Keep it fresh and current.
- Get out and about to network with your target audience – but don’t bore contacts silly by talking about business from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. Build relationships!
