As a small business, ensuring you protect your reputation is crucial for building trust and credibility with your customers. It’s what will ensure people continue to shop with you in the future, as well as find you in the first place.

This is why it’s so important to not only build up a good reputation, but also keep it that way. A few people have said, ‘reputation can take forever to build but only a few moments to come tumbling down.’

Here’s 6 ways you can protect your reputation as a small business and some tips that you can take on board to help move your business forwards. 

Photo by Tim Mossholder from Pexels:

1. Nurture relationships

  Can you find ways to personalise interactions and any communications with your customers and help create a positive experience. The ‘order notification’ email is a great way to add a sense of care and gratitude the difference that order has made to your business and the impact it has had. It also will help customers feel like they’ve made a great decision purchasing from your small business and start building your reputation.

2. Support local initiatives

Are there events, places, people in need of support, that your business could be supporter or promoter of? Shout about the great things your business is doing for the community is a great way to build reputation. Use your network for good to help shout about great local causes. Is there an awards ceremony you could sponsor, a raffle you could donate to, school shows or fairs you could support. It’s also a great idea to choose charities/event that have some sort of link to your product type. For example if you sell candles, skincare, could you link up with a mental health charity and tie in the importance of self-care. If you sell art could you support an upcoming exhibition or event in the creative arts space?

3. Deal with any conflict as soon as possible and be positive

In the unfortunate situations where there is conflict or negativity, deal with it as soon as possible. If someone has left a bad review, reply as soon as possible and find a remedy for the situation that could turn the situation around. This way other customers can see that you acknowledge if someone isn’t happy and try to resolve it. Some companies use the negative situations to help showcase their customer service. There are times when situations of conflict, can actually help boost your reputation and show the integrity, honesty and sense of care you have, that some of your competitors might not have.

4. Do you need legal advice?

There are many reasons you might need a lawyer such as a corporate lawyer to help protect the reputation of your small business. It could be that a rival has decided to copy your products or slander you online just to try and stop you making sales. We have worked with Lucy Legal previously, and she offers amazing bundles to help small businesses get the support they need. Legal advice can help you to protect your reputation as a small business and stop it from getting damaged or having any long-lasting damage. 

5. Exceed customer expectations

Are there ways your can surprise and go beyond what customers might expect. Whether that’s sending a free downloadable gift with their order, adding something special to parcels. If you can create a moment that will help create an emotion or connection with that customer, they will more than likely want to tell a friend about it, or share it on Instagram. A beautifully packaged parcel can go a long way, a personalised email to check-in with them if everything is ok with their order, a personal message on their birthday.

6. Use social media to your advantage

Social media plays a huge part in how you represent your business. Comment on other people’s posts and compliment other people’s services and products. Create a welcoming and supportive community people will want to be part of. Reply to people on your own posts as soon as you can and if you have any negative messages or tweets, respond to these in a positive and productive way.

These are just a few things you can do that can help you to protect your reputation as a small business earning the trust and loyalty of your customers. Whether you’ve been around for a long time or you’re a relatively new business owner, there are things here that apply to both scenarios.

What are some top tips you have for protecting your reputation as a small business? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.