What is Reputation Marketing

Would you buy a product or service that has bad ratings and reviews? Probably not. Let's say you're faced with choosing from two identical products (or services). One has 10 good reviews, while the other has 3 good reviews and 1 bad review. Which one would you buy?  The decision for most people is not that difficult. More than likely, you'll choose the one with 10 good reviews.

In today's fast-paced, online business environment, there are many ways for a business owner to let potential clients know about the business. These range from websites to social media accounts, SEO, mobile websites and coupons to text message marketing campaigns, email and direct mail - but Reputation Marketing is the most important way you can market your business.

The online marketing game has changed, and your competition doesn't even know it - yet. Today, reputation is everything!

There are 4 different "game changers" to show you why it's so important for your business to have a good online reputation.

• Game Changer #1: Search results now reveal the company's reputation. Try this: in your web browser, search for any company name plus the city it's in. For example, search for "elephant bar fremont". Right away, you see "Score: 16 / 30 - 66 Google reviews" - the company’s reputation, out in the open, naked, for all the world to see. Information like this has been showing up for only a few months, and unfortunately, all the other review sites (with the bad reviews) will show up ahead of the business' website, articles, or YouTube videos.
• Game Changer #2: Customer reviews are a major factor in almost every type of online marketing.  Did you know that bad reviews can now show up in Google Maps and Google+, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, website rankings, organic search results, and local directories?
• Game Changer #3: If your business is using SEO, social media, pay-per-click, or other local marketing tools, none of it works anymore if you have bad reviews online! Think about that...You've already agreed that you wouldn't buy a product that has bad ratings, right? So even if you have a page 1 ranking or a great social media presence, nobody will buy because of the bad reviews!
• Game Changer #4: Good reviews send you pre-qualified, pre-sold customers. Why? Because buyers trust reviews almost as much as personal recommendations! A recent Nielsen survey showed that 72% of people trusted online reviews, compared with 90% who trusted the recommendations of people they knew. Online reviews are now more valuable than a CNN interview, a newspaper article, or a website. This is very powerful...

What can be done? First, create a 5-star reputation for your business. Good prices, great customer service, friendly atmosphere - in short, be an outstanding business. Then, and only then, can you successfully market your products and services.

Why Reputation Is Vital To A Business

Additional research showed that consumers look up an average of 10 reviews before making a decision. And 70% of consumers trust a business with a minimum of 6-10 reviews. Without ten 5-star reviews, your business isn't trusted!

By now, you're probably asking, "What is Reputation Marketing?" Simply stated, it's positioning your business, with its 5-star reputation, as the market leader in front of thousands of potential buyers. It's pro-active marketing for your business - not the reactive "reputation management".

What should your business have for its reputation marketing strategy? There are four components: 1) develop a 5-star customer-first reputation for your business, 2) market that reputation, 3) manage that reputation, and 4) create a reputation marketing culture within your business.You'll first need to know what your current online reputation is, so you can implement your strategy.