For any small business, one of the key goals is to remain a viable and profitable business entity. The current economic climate is illustrated by high levels of inflation, increasing material costs, an emerging cost of living crisis, and reduced consumer spending power. This can make it extremely challenging for small businesses to generate sufficient levels of sales and overall profitability that support long-term growth and business success.
However, one way to improve the success of your small business is to develop and build its brand image. Put simply, consumers gravitate towards firms that enjoy a strongly positive brand image, often “voting with their wallets” to buy products and services from such firms. In this article, consideration will be given in respect of how small business can boost their brand image.
Encourage Google reviews
As anyone with an interest in modern marketing knows, consumer reviews can play a key role in boosting your firm’s brand image. This is known as reputational marketing. Simply put, businesses that enjoy positive reviews and customer feedback on sites like Google reviews will develop a reputation for quality and reliability in their field. Customers will typically look for company reviews when purchasing from sites they have not previously traded. This helps to ensure that they are dealing with a professional and reputable company.
A key way to gain greater volumes of customer reviews is to search online for Local Insights offering Google Review Cards. Small businesses can purchase these cards and offer customers a fast and effective way to leave a Google review. They simply need to be tapped on the customer’s smartphone, redirecting them to your company’s Google review site. This process takes less than 30 seconds to complete, providing a fast and reliable way to increase customer reviews and boost your brand image.
Support worthy causes
Another key way to build your brand image is by supporting worthy causes. Charitable foundations, grassroots organizations, and local community groups can be ideal choices for a small business. Your firm will want to support a good cause that resonates with the values and aspirations of your target market. Ideally, you will conduct some market research into your customer base, perhaps using customer focus groups, to better understand the charities and good causes that resonate with them. Create a shortlist of charities and good causes that are deemed to be suitable for your business and your customer base, and then approach the organizations to see if they are willing to collaborate or receive support.
Adopt sustainable business practices
Finally, it is important to recognize that modern consumers place high value on firms that can demonstrate that they have strongly positive environmental credentials. As the threats of global warming and climate change begin to become a reality rather than just theory, customers want to trade with firms that take steps to decrease their environmental impact. Your firm should work towards a range of sustainable business initiatives based on your operations. Consider taking steps to increase the use of recycled materials in your products, create less waste, and use other business practices that promote sustainability.