A brand’s reputation is a precious thing that needs to be cultivated and constantly cared for in order to further that brand’s success. As with a lot of things in life, it’s a lot easier to break it than it is to make it. Here are five vital points that you need to remember when considering your brand management or thinking about rebranding strategies in London.
1. Positive Reviews and Your Response to Them.
Your business will be under constant scrutiny whether you like it or not. With the now ubiquitous nature of the internet, there is more chance than ever that you will be reviewed somewhere, either on your own website or on an independent site ranking your sort of business. Getting a positive review is great for your business and shows that you are doing the right thing but don’t feel content in just reaping that five-star reward, leverage it into customer interaction and brand development. If someone gives your restaurant a five-star review then respond in a kind manner and describe how much has gone into a particular recipe or idea. These interactions will show people that you are dedicated to following up on reviews and capitalising on what makes you great.
2. Negative Reviews and Your Response to Them
Just as important is the flipside of a positive review. If someone reviews you negatively, you need to ignore any defensive notions you may have and engage them and find out how you can improve. It’s easy to dismiss negative feedback as trolling but if you want to be successful, you need to engage with the naysayers and find out what steps can be taken to turn that one-star into a five-star next time.
3. Social Media Presence and Interactions
Whether you are maintaining a brand or considering rebranding strategies, full engagement in social media is a must. Hopefully, you have someone in-house who can deal with it or you yourself are a whizz, but if not, consider taking help so you can utilise social media to the maximum extent. You need to make sure that any paid advertising on social media is reaching the right markets and that your day to day posts are reflecting the business in the right way. If you find people are responding well and sharing posts then use that and engage with the public on a personal level. Nothing lets people know you care about your client base than a bit of one on one attention, even if it’s fleeting.
4. Market Research
It’s not just new brands that need to conduct market research, established brands need to know that the market they’re focusing on is still the one they originally aimed at. It’s an ever changing marketplace out there so make sure that you’re keeping up to date with the trends and if you’re not, have a good long study of the environment you’re aiming at and consider rebranding to match the current climate.
5. Quality Control
All of the market research and social media interaction in the world won’t help you unless you are maintaining a level of quality in your product that ensures continued custom. Keep as keen an eye on your in-house operations and output as you do on your marketplace and you should be able to advertise your company effectively and consistently. Balance is the key here and ensuring your outreach is matched by a quality product will ensure brand security for years to come.
