Offline to online: Taking your business reputation to the digital space
You’re proud of your brand’s reputation.
You’ve got happy customers, a top-notch team, and business is good.
And you’ve done it all by dedicating yourself to daily, real-life activities: showing up for work, face-to-face meetings and consistent word-of-mouth recommendations. If this sounds like you, it’s commendable – this is the kind of hard work that has long defined success. But for all you do for your business offline…
Does it translate to a strong reputation online?
Because times have changed, and customers are online these days. More than 95% of customers research a business online before making a purchase and 77% of consumers search on Google when looking for local business information.
Your commitment within your worksite and the local community creates a ripple effect of trust and credibility across social media channels, websites and online forums. Because of this, your quality of service isn't confined to your physical storefront; it’s shaped by online reviews, ratings, and feedback that influences future customers.
There are so many potential customers just a click away from choosing your business.
So, how do you unleash the full potential of what you do offline and bring it to life online? It starts by looking at what’s working in real life, and then asking questions like: Can strong face-to-face interactions translate to consistent online customer engagement? (They can.)
As a BBB Accredited Business, you’re already laying the groundwork for a balanced blend of offline and online reputation building. As you continue to grow your operation, here are five areas we can help integrate your offline excellence with a strategic online presence.
Taking your customer service from offline to online
If you’re already providing great customer service, those practices can translate seamlessly to positive online interactions. Here are some ideas:
1. Add a personal touch to customer interactions:
Little details like a warm smile or helpful tone are just as important online as offline. You can carry over this personalization by addressing customers by name, remembering their preferences, and offering tailored solutions in emails, texts and social messaging apps.
2. Actively listen to customers online:
If you already practice active listening during face-to-face interactions, mirror this online by being responsive to emails, reviews and texts. The BBB review dashboard is a great way to stay on top of new feedback about your brand.
3. Follow up with customers:
Automated emails, surveys, or chatbots are common practice these days to gather feedback and address any post-purchase concerns for customers. These follow-ups are also a great time to request reviews.
4. Continue building new relationships:
This is where social media pages or websites can do a lot of the heavy lifting. The key is in creating content and website features that communicate your brand identity to new visitors. A professional website alone can have a huge impact on creating trust for new customers.
5. Offer timely resolutions:
Resolving customer issues promptly and effectively showcases dedication to customer service. Whether you’re resolving an issue over email or pointing customers to an online resource, responsiveness remains key. And if there’s ever a disagreement that requires a neutral party, BBB Accredited Businesses have free access to BBB’s Dispute Resolution system.
6. Meet them where they’re looking:
There are profile pages across the internet, and customers are clicking on them to learn more. Fill these profiles out to give them the information they need, and if you haven’t already, set up your BBB Profile today.
Creating your online ’storefront’
Your business's website is your brand. In the past twenty years, some businesses might have squeaked by with a Facebook page, but today’s customers are looking for a website to confirm they’re dealing with a legitimate business. According to HubSpot:
“A business website is a badge of trust, and people only buy from businesses they know, like, and trust. So while it might be quicker to create a Facebook page, you would be able to command more authority and trust with a business website.”
Not only that, when 54% percent of all web traffic comes through mobile phones, websites need to be accessible on these devices. Is your website just as easy to use on a laptop as on a phone?
Just as your physical storefront can be the first point of contact for a customer, your website is the gateway to your online presence. And even if you don’t have a physical store, a website is an opportunity:
For your website to communicate trust, make sure to include these features:
- Quality content and resources: FAQ pages, product descriptions, examples of work
- Current pricing
- Easy navigation from page to page, mobile-friendly accessibility, no broken links*
- Contact information, address, phone number, email address
- Privacy policy and data protection certificates*
- Secure payment system (if applicable)
- Online booking or request-a-quote features
- BBB Dynamic Seal: Unlike your physical BBB Seal for vehicles and windows, this one links directly to your online BBB Profile
BBB’s reputation management tools track these issues to keep your online presence in good standing.
Syncing your offline reputation with your online marketing
When promoting your brand in real life, it’s easy to think about strategies like posters, business cards, newspaper ads and billboards. It’s a whole different ballgame marketing your business online. When adopting online marketing strategies, your reputation does the heavy lifting to represent your brand.
The key is to be consistent. Here’s how:
- Brand identity: Your brand’s visual elements like your logo, colors and fonts are recognition factors reflecting the reputation you’ve established. Create logos, videos and ad campaigns for brands that prioritize consistency.
- Messaging: The same goes for your brand’s tone and messaging. When customers see consistency across your website, marketing text messages and digital ads – they know they’re seeing the genuine article, which reinforces your brand's trustworthiness.
- Customer focus: When marketing your products or services, who are your customers? Knowing your audience lets you tailor marketing messages to them, and when ads are being seen by customers looking for your services, this influences a positive brand perception.
- Trust: Your BBB Seal is a symbol of trust and can be used on physical and online ad materials. In fact, the BBB Dynamic Seal can be added to your webpage, email signatures and other online marketing materials so you can inspire consumer confidence from the get-go.
Cultivating word-of-mouth momentum
Business owners know that a happy customer is a brand advocate. This is also true for business partners, suppliers and community organizations. For businesses that thrive on the power of recommendations and referrals, there are a number of ways to translate this success online:
Lean into social media: Whether in a customer’s social posts or in community groups (like Facebook Groups), encourage your customers to share their positive experiences or create user-generated content like Instagram reels and unboxing videos. Because these are personal recommendations, they carry a lot of weight in encouraging trust.
Create referral programs: This could be as simple as an email blast with discounts, exclusive offers or loyalty points for those who vouch for your reputation as a brand to trust. When using these programs, make it easy by creating a referral link to share via email, social media or messaging apps.
Ask for online reviews and testimonials: A workable review strategy is powerful on platforms like BBB, Google, Yelp, and industry-specific review sites, so make it a priority to ask for reviews and be responsive to them. Then, showcase these testimonials to build credibility and trust.
Final thoughts
It’s a whole different ballgame taking your business’s reputation online. But make no mistake – you want to be in that game. To grow your business, yes, but more importantly, to preserve everything you’ve built. This comes down to playing an active role in monitoring and improving your online presence. In doing so, the payoff comes full circle to the point where…
…your online reputation is feeding your offline reputation.
Remember: You aren’t on your own. Partnering with an organization that specializes in building trust with customers online can make for a powerful collaboration. Speak with an expert to learn how your business’s reputation can reach its full potential.
BBB Great West + Pacific contributed this article.