6 Expert Tips on How to Repair Local Business Reputation
Repairing a local business’ reputation can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it is possible to turn things around. We’ve gathered six expert tips from marketing professionals and business leaders to help you navigate rebuilding your business’ image. From acknowledging mistakes to being transparent, these insights will guide you on the path to a stronger reputation in your community.
- Acknowledge Mistakes and Take Action
- Encourage Positive Customer Reviews
- Contribute to the Community
- Show Patience and Be Genuine
- Deliver Exceptional Service
- Be Transparent and Accountable
Acknowledge Mistakes and Take Action
If a local business makes a mistake and its reputation suffers because of it, it is crucial to recognize what went wrong and act fast to regain the reputation through hard work. You may apologize while you’re at it, but what will always bring clients back to you is showing that you’re serious about getting back up and working hard to make up for whatever mistake you made. Your actions will speak for themselves.
Natalia Brzezinska
Marketing and Outreach Manager, ePassportPhoto
Encourage Positive Customer Reviews
Ask customers who had an enjoyable experience to leave positive reviews on various websites, such as Google and Yelp. Even if you have received negative reviews, the positive ones will help your overall reputation. Positive reviews can help build trust with potential customers and show that you take customer satisfaction seriously.
Scott Orn
Chief Operating Officer, Kruze Consulting
Contribute to the Community
Businesses that support making life better in the community they operate in gain the trust and loyalty of the community members and customers. To repair the reputation of a local business, identify a social cause in the community that you can support by lending monetary or intellectual resources to it. This approach allows you to regain society’s trust, hence repairing your business’ reputation.
Liam Liu
Co-founder and CMO, ParcelPanel
Be Patient and Genuine
Your behavior after taking steps to make amends with customers can be just as important as the steps taken themselves. Do not push customers to forgive and forget about an indiscretion your business had a hand in.
Avoid insincere behavior like mass discounts or store offers that can be seen as trying to buy back your patrons’ affection for your business. The best thing you can do for your business is to let forgiveness happen organically.
The more you try to force the issue, the more likely it is that customers will ignore or even come to resent your efforts. Be patient and let your customers come to their own conclusions.
Max Schwartzapfel
CMO, Schwartzapfel Lawyers
Deliver Exceptional Service
Going beyond what is expected of you for your customers can help your reputation. We live in a world where being just good enough won’t cut it with winning customer loyalty. To truly repair and rebuild trust in your reputation, you must create a customer experience worth raving about.
The data overwhelmingly shows that small businesses rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing, and the same applies to repairing your reputation. So, let your customers change the conversation about your business by delivering exceptional service and exceeding their expectations. Remember, every delighted customer can become a powerful advocate for your brand and help you regain trust and loyalty.
Jordan Motzkin
Co-founder, Profit Decoder
Be Transparent and Accountable
One of the most effective ways to repair a local business’ reputation is by openly discussing its mistakes. Being honest about the matter shows a willingness to take responsibility and make things right. Also, it also shows that the business values honesty and integrity, which can help restore its reputation.
Still, it’s essential to take a thoughtful and strategic approach. The apology must be sincere and followed by taking action to rebuild trust. Also, avoid using general statements of regret. Address the specific issue or mistake instead.
Last but not least, talking openly about mistakes makes sense only if accompanied by concrete action. The business needs to make sure the issues don’t happen again in the future.
Agata Szczepanek
Community Manager, LiveCareer
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