The reputation of a person or business is a strong asset if others perceive it positively. Becoming famous can differentiate one professional from another or influence customers and colleagues. Building a good reputation as an individual or company takes time and effort, and the success of a person or business can depend on it.
In this article, we explore why a good reputation is important in business, its benefits and how to build or enhance your own reputation.
Table Of Contents
1 Why is it important to build a good professional reputation?
2 17 ways to improve your reputation or your business
2.1 1. Be open and friendly
2.2 2. Be transparent
2.3 3. Keep your promises
2.4 4. Give more than expected
2.5 5. Have a strong character
2.6 6. Pay attention to your body language
2.7 7. Develop a positive outlook
2.8 8. Help others
2.9 9. Prioritize accuracy
2.10 10. Reliable and consistent
2.11 11. Responsible
2.12 12. Find solutions to problems
2.13 13. Turn negative feedback into opportunities
2.14 14. Always take challenges
2.15 15. Humanize yourself and your business
2.16 16. Present a strong image
2.17 17. Learn from people you admire
Why is it important to build a good professional reputation?
A good professional reputation can impact job offers, promotions, and team morale, as well as your customer base, growth and profits. In a highly competitive environment, the reputation of a person or business can help people make decisions.
For example, a hiring manager with two candidates who have the same qualifications might choose one that is known to have a good work ethic, or a customer who needs a new stove might choose a company with a slightly higher price because it has good reviews.
A person or business with a strong reputation can also:
- Attract people or better opportunities
- Get a higher salary or selling price
- Achieving leadership roles and influence
- Retain loyal customers who buy more products and services
- Get new customers who value the company’s position
- Promote better funding and sales figures
- Resulting in better market value and lower cost of capital
It is important to build and manage a reputation on an ongoing basis, and there is always an opportunity to improve it if needed.
17 ways to improve your reputation or your business
According To Alux.com Best Ways To BUILD A Great Reputation
Here are 17 ways to build or enhance your reputation or that of your business:
1. Be open and friendly
Small acts like welcoming and introducing yourself to a new coworker can lead to meaningful relationships. Engage with colleagues and customers in positive and creative ways, be generous with your resources and work within your community to show that you value them.
This action lets people know that they are valued and respected and can result in greater productivity and positivity.
2. Be transparent
Being honest will build trust and can enhance the reputation of a business or individual. It’s good practice to be honest and refrain from withholding information about results from employees, customers or investors.
For example, if the owner of a body repair shop orders certain parts for a customer’s car and it won’t arrive for a week’s work, sharing this information openly with the customer can build trust, despite the potential for the inconvenience.
3. Keep your promises
Follow through on commitments and schedules, whether that means meeting deadlines, reviewing co-workers’ work, or resolving customer service issues. Your reputation and credibility grow when you fulfill commitments, and you can be recognized for reliable, reliable and trustworthy work.
4. Give more than expected
Another way to build or improve your reputation is to do more than is expected or asked of you. For example, if a client asks for a 3% savings discount, you can offer a 5% discount which can result in further business cooperation.
People appreciate the extra effort and generosity, and small gestures can impact your reputation by highlighting that you value your relationships with customers.
5. Have a strong character
Showing care and doing the right thing, even if it’s difficult or unpopular, demonstrates strong character and integrity, both as an individual and as a company.
Reputation can be increased by being ethical and not sacrificing morals. For example, a human resources employee is investigating possible fraudulent activity, even though they determined that there was no wrongdoing.
A close colleague in another department asked to know who was involved, and although they may have found another way, the human resources employee declined to name names, upholding their integrity.
Other ways to cultivate integrity include:
- Tell the truth, even when faced with consequences.
- Keep your promises to coworkers, even if it takes extra effort or time.
- Refund customers if you inadvertently overcharge them.
6. Pay attention to your body language
Body language can convey messages without words, and people with strong reputations pay attention to their body language. Maintain eye contact and nod to show that you are actively listening when the other person is talking.
Effective body language can add strength to your verbal messages and directions, put the other person at ease and convey confidence. Understanding body language can also help you identify unspoken concerns or concerns the other person may have.
7. Develop a positive outlook
Businesses and leaders with excellent reputations usually maintain a positive outlook and don’t get involved in gossip. Company morale may drop if complaining is commonplace, or your reputation may be jeopardized if you put other people down.
Here are some ideas on how to maintain a positive outlook:
- Refrain from whispering.
- Change the negative topic to another topic.
- Offer ideas and solutions to challenges or procrastination.
- Share compliments about someone when their name is mentioned during gossip.
8. Help others
Helping other people and businesses meet their goals is a great way to build your reputation. This proves that you can work in a team environment and also demonstrate goodwill beyond your own interests.
There are many ways to maintain the mindset of helping others, including:
- Give praise to others for a good job
- Praise and tell someone when they do a good job
- Making introductions for contacts
- Show appreciation
- Mentoring colleagues or young professionals
- Discuss the career paths of the people on your team
- Offer to see someone’s work for feedback
- Become a network resource in your industry
9. Prioritize accuracy
Accuracy is important in business, and you can build a reputation by paying attention to the details. Spell names correctly, check documents and materials and review calculations to make sure everything is correct.
Being recognized as someone with a strong sense of skill, precision and efficiency can also increase performance, productivity and profits.
10. Reliable and consistent
Consistency and reliability are good qualities to have in a business, and they both affect reputation. They can lead to repeat business, new customers or clients or promotions.
For example, a customer may continue to provide business to a plumber who fixes a leaky sink on one visit rather than one that takes three return visits to resolve the problem, even if service costs vary.
Constantly meeting deadlines, producing valuable work, being helpful and doing well in performance reviews help improve your status and reputation.
11. Responsible
Be humble and admit mistakes when they happen. Consider publicly acknowledging a problem rather than making excuses or hiding it.
Taking responsibility is an act of integrity and can enhance your reputation more than mistakes can damage it.
For example, a garden management company forgot to replace a diseased shrub in one of their client’s plant beds and solved the problem by returning the same day, installing a new one and planting a few extra flowers as a gesture of care.
12. Find solutions to problems
Anticipating problems and mitigating their impact or solving them completely are essential skills in business. Develop ideas for solutions and be willing to share them.
Having an idea that solves a problem is not as important as maintaining your reputation and being considered a creative helper and problem solver.
13. Turn negative feedback into opportunities
Negative feedback or reviews can be an opportunity. With the right approach, a critic can become a loyal customer and greatly affect your business or personal reputation.
For example, companies can follow up with customers who leave bad reviews online or offer refunds to customers who had an unpleasant experience. These customers may respect the gesture and try the business again or speak positively about the reactions and responses to their friends and family.
14. Always take challenges
Consider taking on additional projects or challenges, both in your personal and professional life. You can try leading a team or volunteering in your community
. Taking risks may get you noticed, as it shows that you can handle responsibilities while supporting others. This may lead to more opportunities in the future and a stronger reputation.
15. Humanize yourself and your business
Make sure you’re easily contactable by your customers and coworkers and eliminate company jargon, marketing phrases, or promotional messages, so you build an authentic reputation.
Aim to engage more effectively with your audience, and be careful with word choice when answering emails, updating social media, or presenting in meetings.
16. Present a strong image
The online image of you or your business is often directly related to reputation. Displaying a professional image in the office and across social media accounts, marketing materials, professional websites, or your resume and cover letter can demonstrate careful planning and thoughtful professionalism.
17. Learn from people you admire
Pay attention to the reputations of those you admire, whether they are industry mentors you know or public figures. Ask about their personal brand, or read a book they’ve read or written about leadership and reputation.
Studying their careers can help you understand how to build a solid reputation based on hard work, connections, talent, loyalty and support.