19 Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

All of us have a sense of self-concept right?   This is a part of our character isn’t it?

We think we know ourselves, and we live by those beliefs, but how do others see us? Does it matter?

In some ways it is a huge waste of time worrying what others think of us isn’t it?

But I find it a good process to ask better questions to help me improve every day in every way, rather than worry what others think, and that is so I can continually grow and become more valuable.

I tend to ask questions such as;

1. How did I do there?
2. How could I do better in that specific way?
3. Did I think it through and respond? 
4. What might I have done differently?
5. What did I learn from that?

These questions may seem basic, but when applied to anything at anytime we can really improve everything.

And so it can help us to adjust in life and business consistently.

I know as I have been doing so for over 25 years way before this blog.

The person that seeks to improve always makes better decisions, and has greater integrity, thus when in any situation and in running a business, as that person has greater care, attention and love for that business.

This of course relates to reputation.

Rather than go through life always trying to be liked, approved of, accepted etc., simply aim to become better.

As it is only going to help!

And it is not necessarily healthy to wonder what everyone thinks of us all the time, but it is healthy to always improve our quality and standards.

What truly matters is what WE think about ourselves, how WE create greater character and of course, what WE do with it.

ACTION!

The actions we take, what we feel about them, what we can do best, and how we do it, all matter in our roles.

This also ensures that ‘what we do’ is in touch with now, and is ethical and progressive.

And whether you like Mr. Buffett or not, he is right in that quote!

In business a reputation can take many years to cultivate, and seconds to destroy.

So it is not just about just your character, it is the whole, the brand, the company.

How it all extends outwards from you.

Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

Everything starts with character, and from that comes reputation. 

And these Tips On Business Reputation will support you and enable you to out perform others.

So, how can one have a great reputation if they don’t care about what they do?

That is not something I believe in.

Even though I am a bit rebellious, and love ideas, innovation and going against the norm, as I am not a big fan of conventionalism, rules or systems that dictate my life path, I still care.  And I know that I can express my character ‘yet’ still do so progressively rather than destructively.

There is a huge difference between questioning life and business in order to improve, and going our own way, versus mindless destruction of lives through poor action and carelessness.

But it seems that some think that being a rebel means being an A@@hole.

It may seem harsh to talk about some leaders destroying lives in business, but some people feel as though their lives are being destroyed by bad business.  This is because some people in business couldn’t care less about customers.  So they are unquestionably major A@@holes.

And this is simply poor character!

I’m sure you have heard of cowboy builders, shoddy car salespeople, gambling sites rinsing vulnerable people, corporations with tragic ethics and non-existent customer service systems, and so on.   So businesses through poor leaders can hurt people and lives, but not ‘you and I’ of course.

You are reading this so I hope you care!

You are a leader!

But an absent type of “leadership” can quickly turn to a negative reputation.

So keep in mind that reputation is essentially about “leadership in business.”

As a consumer I think it is healthy to question everything, rather than assume we must just buy XYZ, or follow XYZ, and we should consider what we do, who we buy from and where we buy from.

We should buy from ethical brands and leaders shouldn’t we?

Just as I think us consumers should question what is best for us, and best for the world.

So great leaders should question what they do everyday to understand the consumer and understand their own progress.

As modern leaders in business we should celebrate our differences and honor our sense of individualism, as we shape something we feel is worthy to us, and do something that has great value to offer, not just lead in something we have no interest in or don’t care for.

Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

It’s a whole new world

Today we find ourselves in another world, one where we must consider many things in order to stay present and relevant, but also progressive, or we may be out of business very soon.

We are also in a fast moving world, where demand is high, and where reputation can be destroyed very quickly.

Anyone at anytime can bring down a business, and right or wrong it is not hard to do, so it pays to be mindful of this.

With that said; How can you help your own reputation and make it excellent?  Sure, we all make mistakes, but from those we grow, evolve and get better.  So how can you learn from these and expand, so you don’t keep making the same mistakes?

Simply ask better questions!

Maybe you are not in business yet, and if not then it will pay you to ask these questions below.

But first, let’s just look at something that can really help you now.

Optimism versus Realism

What type of person are you?

Personally I am naturally a very positive person, glass half full type of person, but this doesn’t mean that I am not realistic also.

I think there is a balance to be had about mastering our outlook, because I have discovered that it is wise to not just assume things will go well because we feel good about it, rather we should understand the full story through exercising the right kinds of research, applying specific processes, understanding systems and being realistic about projections and outcomes.

In other words; don’t just think positive about the outcome, actually ensure that risk is lowered where possible.

Studies show that a healthy balance between the two is most beneficial because, we can A) see logical and rational steps forward and are not clouded by idealistic outcomes.  And B) see that we can feel positive about what we have implemented through tangibly applying the right actions.

Another way to look at it might be this; whilst we can be positive and lift others, and this is not a bad thing, we can also be confident and capable through thorough application, as we also need to look at the finer details and not just assume that things are going well.

I’m sure you have heard of brushing things under the carpet, well we cannot afford to do this in life or in business.

And in these uncertain economic times we all face including small business owners, it is vital that nothing is left unattended to.

So let’s now ensure you are not just positive, but are also capable.

19 Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

Before we get to the 19 solid tips I have for you, you might ask these questions now:

1. Is what I am doing in a role now worth my time/effort & why?  What should my time, energy and effort be placed upon?
2. What value am I offering and how is this useful?  How are my products/services really offering something of worth?
3. What matters to me, to my sense of individualism to serve?  Am I coming from a place of truth, making the most of this?
4. What might I share that most makes use of my resources, tools and assets?  What might be a worthy role/business?
5. How is ‘what I do now’ honest and ethical enough?  Am I really offering something ‘I’ and others can be proud of?  
6. Why might I be best suited to do XYZ?  Thinking of my time, energy, focus & effort, what makes this worth aiming for?
7. Thinking of my values, and what value I might offer, how does this match with a specific demand or market?  
8. What products/services or market will be best expressed through my truth and in ways where I can add value most? 

How did you find that?  I hope it was useful!

I would personally consider these questions deeply and several times BEFORE assuming that you are just lucky with risks.

And when considering a small business model, it is vitally important to start right.

Besides, if we don’t consider these kinds of things, we may just fall into any role or business, which isn’t respectful of ourselves or our greatest skills and integrity.

We all want to do what we love, are good at, can have integrity in, and do what we have passion for ideally, so start with better questions beforehand.

Bad Reputation

Talking of the key word of integrity, I recently saw a shockingly disturbing documentary about a man that essentially believed he was God, and could do no wrong.   

Paolo Macchiarini was a man that had no interest in anything or anyone other than himself, and even though he lied to everyone both in his personal life and professional life, ha managed to keep on wrecking lives.

He destroyed both personal and professional lives through neglect, self-interest, ego, manipulation and outright experimentation on human beings.

I was deeply shocked at how he believed he was godlike, and as a person that dealt with life and death on a daily basis, he was unconcerned about the tragic damage caused to human lives.

The weirdest thing I noticed about him was that he felt his reputation was in tatters ‘when he was found out’.

Can you believe that?

In other words he believed he was doing a great job, before he was exposed as a fraud and a complete narcissist.

Considering that Paolo was a celebrated thoracic surgeon, who became famous for his groundbreaking transplant operations, which should humble most people, only gave him the biggest head possible, and this led to countless deaths from botched operations.

Paolo was so delusional about being a pioneer that he had never tested his innovative plastic windpipe experiments on animals before human beings, as he was so arrogant as to think that it wasn’t necessary.

Can you believe it!

So, never think that in aiming to have a great reputation, it will come from a delusional perception of doing whatever you like in your own world, or messing with others lives.

Over many hundreds of years there have been millions of lives destroyed and lost through power hungry, self interested, ego driven types, that have no care or consideration for others lives, and we really don’t need any more of them in positions of power or leadership.

That is why I wrote this post!

I hope it can help to prevent more of this occurring.

By the way, if you want to see the lunatic Paolo that I mentioned, simply watch the documentary ‘Bad Surgeon’ and you will see the extent of his destruction – and get this; he is still working after his short stint in prison.

We need to be mindful of not making money for the sake of making money!

We don’t have to work for the mafia, sell drugs or sell ourselves on certain platforms to make money, or to destroy others lives.

Yes there are exceptions to the rule as with anything, and in these times of increased struggle, higher living costs, and difficulty retraining to find a worthy career, it might be at least somewhat understandable that some may opt for making money in the easiest ways possible online through using particular assets, but this is precisely why we must really consider what we are doing and why, because we all make our choices and we have to live with them.

It seems that today there may be a fine line between ethics, morals and integrity, and some cross the line into doing something to avoid being broke, as they try to lower pain and stress involved in being desperate and broke.

But we all have to live with our choices and decisions, and we all have to judge what comes of that.

So we need to ensure that when entering a business, we do so for the right reasons.

We all know that there is so much underground business, corruption (including governments), scamming and cyber crime filtering through and appearing these days, but that is why honest, decent, ethical, and trustworthy people are deeply needed more than ever before.

We can shape roles that can lift societies, and improve communities.

Here is another example of what not to do:

This is someone that entirely abused their role and place online by lying about their condition in order to garner global brand recognition, adoration, best selling books, a famous blog and personal fame, and to add to that a contract with apple to create an app, and another contract with penguin books to create a best selling health book.

This young person was extremely clever, but sadly abused the subject of severe illness in order to manipulate vulnerable victims, and did so without emotion or care.

Her name is Belle Gibson and she became a huge success from Australia, and eventually globally.

I must say that I felt a sense of shock, deep sadness, pity and anger when I learned of her fake brand.

Belle had essentially pretended to suffer from a severe life threatening Cancer in order to have fans feel for her and have other sufferers feel a sense of connection to her.

This is example of total abuse in our modern world in online media and social media, in order to acquire fame and fortune was a prime example of extreme manipulation and corruption, and all by one person.

A Great lesson is to be aware when trusting others

We must be vigilant when trusting others, as if we don’t conduct sufficient research and homework when considering who to deal with, buy from hire or and idolize, we will suffer and many others will also suffer.

I personally feel that it is not always healthy when placing others on a pedestal, because even if they are amazing at what they do, or are hero’s or heroines in some way – this isn’t always progressive to an ego.  And many people will let it go to their head.

So just be careful with online personas, and offline personas, that may not meet with the true self.

And be careful who you admire, trust, buy from, believe in and so on.

It goes without saying that we must ensure that we conduct ourselves with the appropriate ethics required to be in business, or we simply shouldn’t be in business at all.

Doing good in business

Is it really that hard to do good?

Good news travels fast just as bad news does, so be sure to consider what news you wish to go viral.

On that note, I would concur with Brian in the quote below;  a positive reputation travels fast, sure, but so does a bad one!

Selling nowadays can be easy from almost anywhere, which is awesome but that doesn’t mean we need to sneak around selling dodgy goods thinking we will never be found out.

So from the comfort of our own home we can sell on eBay, amazon, start ecommerce stores, become an affiliate for companies, write books, blogs, sell ourselves as brands, and do just about most things through digital platforms, so the opportunities are endless now.

So if we can match this with finding that area or areas we most feel aligned with, and focus on taking the right and consistent daily action, even when challenges present themselves, we can keep going because we feel in our heart of hearts that this is it!

But we must of course do so in a professional way!

We must conduct ourselves in ways that others expect.

So, are you considered to be a professional now?

Are you in that area that you most love and can excel in whilst expressing yourself in your best ways?

And are you selling and promoting yourself in the right ways?   

What kind of reward/s can you expect to receive in exchange for your immense value?

If you are ‘not’ currently in this situation, then understand that entering the business arena in any market requires you to place honesty at the top of the pile, because others will need this, just as long-term growth will need this.

Besides, others are more likely to respect you and buy from you this way.

It’s ok to be wrong and we all make mistakes, in life just as we do in business, but it is how we deal with mistakes, and how we respond to whatever is needed from us that matters.

Sadly though, some of the ‘so-called top leaders’ who are in high up places don’t always share this idea.

In fact many protect their reputation BEFORE DOING WHAT IS RIGHT!  They would rather ‘look good’ than admit mistakes.

And let’s face it, we all know of those that don’t wish their names to be associated with illegal activity or crime in high places, yet they are often happily corrupt, greedy and power hungry.

It is very easy to lose a good reputation through negating the fundamental areas that can make all the difference, and those that think they can get away with anything are not worthy of business, and hopefully get caught in the end.

Becoming a true professional

If you wish to consider yourself an expert or a professional in any field then you have to consider what your daily actions will consist of, and ensure how they will be aligned with personal integrity, but also take into account how this is seen and interpreted by others such as team members and customers. 

This is basic self-respect in my opinion, not self-interested self-admiration, and without it, it is easy to let things go.

I’ll give you an example of a considerate business I dealt with:

I recently bought a pair of premium trainers from an online store, and the company couldn’t do enough to help me with communication, with tracking the delivery and with a top quality service throughout the entire process.

This was expected by me, and delivered by them.

This made me feel good, feel important and cared for, and it made me want to give them a sterling review, further custom and to share my experience with others.

So was it worth their time and effort?

Absolutely it was yes!  And I might add that my google, trust pilot and trip advisor reviews achieve thousands of views, thus it helped them to achieve greater sales and business from my glowing words.

Sure, they may not have needed me to do this at all, and I am only one person, but it still mattered a great deal to me to share my experience, and they thanked me and even offered me further discounts, and amazon vouchers.

By the way, I am not suggesting for a minute that all companies will do this, and I am not saying that many companies care this much, but a reputation can be built upon, however, with the wrong effort it can also be destroyed very quickly and easily.

And when you think about, a bad rep can be as simple as negating the basics.

I am certainly not out to destroy reputations, but standards need to be met.

I would rather support and guide businesses to perform better and grow of course, but I have seen so much carelessness.

With that said, its now time for me to share with you 19 solid tips that can place you in the top of the pile, and even outperform your nearest competition.  Cool?

19 Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

Here are some real and applicable tips  that you can implement right away to ensure you grow, and to please your customers more than others do.

I would also like to point out that I have helped hundreds of businesses globally to improve performance and increase growth through applying these solid tips.

Let’s go!

1. Make every part of your business very clear for the customer.  So don’t have them in the dark about what to do, where to go, or who to contact.  As people get frustrated with technology enough.  So make it easy for them. And communicate with them, be around them at events if you can.
2. Be clear about your offers, understand your products/services and the standard and quality they represent.  Test and study your data to always improve.  Focus efforts on most important areas, optimize.  Always look ahead of the curve and embrace your investment by diversifying with change to maximize potential revenue, whilst doing so ethically and progressively.
3. If there is a complaint try to offer a way of resolving this BEFORE a bad review is shared.  Suggest they contact you and set up a way that you can resolve it and find a solution first of all.
4. Don’t lose sight of the human being at the end of the numbers.  Sales are vital but not at the cost of the person.  No-one needs greed over basic human decency.
5. Be down to earth in your words where necessary, and this can mean being friendly and even funny to connect with others.  This shows you are a human being sharing a message that is personal.  Through your vision and values, express your passion for excellence in what you do and expand your marketing channels to get attention from the right audiences.
6. ‘Share that you care’.  You have seen the packaging on your own products that show how much the company cares about the environment, sustainability, and saving rainforests.  The reason for this is obvious of course, but also, if a company fails to be progressive they can end up sabotaging themselves in this modern every changing and evolving world.
7. Get your tech right!  Why have sloppy tech that just doesn’t do the job?  One small tweak could save you a great deal of headaches and pain.  Follow the customer journey yourself and ensure that it is easy to navigate.  This could be on websites, social media, blogs, sales pages, and so on.
8. Ensure your timing is right.  We have just had another ‘Black Friday’ event and I’m sure you will also have experienced emails with banners and flashing words all over them to get you to buy on Black Friday, right?  So ensure you can follow up on what you offer.  Are there special codes, money off vouchers, various payment options, and worthy choices in your niche or market?  Get it as some say ‘on point’.  And this means a solid follow up series of emails and or a newsletter.  You may even create a ‘club’ where buyers and loyal customers feel special about being a part of your tribe.
9. HAVE FUN!  Don’t be all serious and monotone or vanilla with your marketing efforts.  Show that you are the ‘go-to’ brand/business they need.
10. be prepared to evolve, adapt, tweak and adjust, as all great companies know that life changes, and public perception can change.  So be mindful of that.  Your reputation is ‘a public perception of your business and how you operate’. So think about what others may say about what you do, and this also includes how you handle these changes.  But also how you treat others in your team.
11. Never forget that your own reputation can be improved upon, and it can change if you can get clarity around the main focus of your mission, message, vision and business plan.  This means checking all of these areas weekly, and being open in listening to others opinions about what you do.  Never be afraid of being wrong, and be prepared to accept another’s idea.  Ensure you understand who your customer is, and understand how your efforts may need adjusting.
12. Have a group of innovators, thinkers and ideas types from all backgrounds that you can have meeting with and that can shed light on understanding public perceptions.
13. With a greater rep you will also bring in higher caliber types that want to work for you and with you. With a great reputation you will become more appealing.  With greater reputation of company and brand, you can be assured that you will gain loyalty, retention and can even charge more than others in your field for your services and products.
14. Become obsessed with what you do.  Be the best in category.  Always seek to outperform your competition when it comes to memorable experiences with each transaction.  People are precious about their money and where it goes, no matter what they spend.  So be mindful of this, and ensure them that their money is well spent in your capable hands.
15. Get involved in your community, do something great, and ensure that everyone can see your excellent care and customer service.
16. Train your team to get this.  Every person who loves working with you will be as passionate as you are.  So ensure they grasp this and strive to do their utmost to exceed expectations.
17.  Always be open and communicative to listen to reviews, and respond to them offering your care about why something may have not worked out.  Don’t hide, stand out and show transparency.
18. Remember that most of this is common sense.  Do what you know is needed.  What would you want as a customer?  Do that and go the extra mile where needed.
19. Be a solid leader!  A lack of  “leadership” and direction will swiftly create a bad feeling and reputation.  I have included a post link below to show you what that looks like.

19 Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

There you have it my friend!  If you know it now then apply it!

Sure, we are all different people by nature, and we are all different types, and some self-interested ego driven types are great CEO’s, COO’s, CFO’s, and whatever else you wish to add to the list, so these types can get outstanding results, as they focus solely on results, and in business we all need results.  But no matter what type of person you are, and what results you are aiming for, this shouldn’t be at the detriment of the whole name.

Looking after your team and customers should always be at the forefront of your operation.

There are behaviors that either lead to sabotage or collaborative expansion.

If you can apply what I have talked about here, and if you are always prepared to keep an obsession over quality and standards then you will not only create more sales, but you will grow a healthy reputation whilst keeping customers for longer (loyalty) which will cost you less than always finding new customers.

Also, if you feel that something is missing here then do feel free to let me know, as I love feedback myself and recommend that you learn to love it also.

Feedback is your greatest free resource to improvement.

And crafting a role whereby others see you in a certain way, (even if that role or perception isn’t your usual stance) will help to solidify your reputation.

If you truly want your business to succeed, thrive and grow sufficiently then you cannot afford to be ignorant of how you come across to your team and customers, and how your quality and standards reflect you and your brand.

Act with the best of intentions, not just through saying what you will do, but by doing it all the time.

And if you think that this doesn’t really matter and isn’t a tangible business strategy then see how you get on by ignoring it.

As always, I wish you the very best with your small business model, and if you wish to get in touch or have any questions, then please ask away.

Cheers

Greg

P.S. Feel free to share this if you found value in it.  You may enjoy another post I wrote to help you forge a lifelong role as an integrity based ethical modern leader here: 

CLICK HERE TO READ MODERN LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS PERFORMANCE FOR 2023

19 Solid Tips On Business Reputation for 2024

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GregDeTisi

Author and Small Business Blogger at Greg De Tisi Writing and Small Business Blogging

Author of 26 books, a course creator and business blogger - Greg has been supporting clients from all backgrounds all over the globe for over 15 years in developing ideas and passions into sustainable Small Business Models. Greg now has more of a focus on supporting his local business community in Bristol UK.