If your sales haven’t hit expectations lately, your problem may be your brand’s reputation. That’s because people need to trust your company or brand before making a purchase or recommending your firm.
Here are reasons why tending to your brand’s reputation is one of the best ways to increase your sales. Here’s why:
Customers Read and Trust Reviews
According to studies, almost every consumer consults reviews before purchasing. About 68 percent of customers will deal with your business with positive reviews, while 40 percent will avoid dealing with your brand due to negative reviews. More than half of consumers will only deal with companies with reviews of four stars or more. Clearly, positive reviews directly link with sales.
While you can’t always avoid a negative review, you can mitigate its damage by responding to the review appropriately. You can also gain more positive reviews to override the negative ones. By managing negative reviews properly and increasing the number of positive reviews, you can improve your sales significantly.
Customers Buy Through Browser Searches
Consumers search for information about brands online. Your position in search results plays a crucial role in whether a consumer clicks on the business’s website. Only 8 percent of the click-throughs will be on websites on the second page of the search results. Indeed, 33 percent of prospective buyers will click on the first website listed in the search results, compared to 18 percent on the second result. Click-throughs continue to decline as your business listings move further down the results page.
Businesses that appear lower in the search rankings are losing sales to those that rank higher since prospective customers likely won’t buy if they never visit your website. Writing quality informative copy that you optimize for search engines can move your business to the top of the search result listings, gaining more click-throughs and sales.
Social Media Builds Brand Loyalty
Social media also contribute to your brand reputation and, if used correctly, can build brand loyalty. You can regularly post helpful content on social media, inviting shares, comments, and further tweets. Your company also needs to join social media conversations that mention your brand. A recent survey shows that 70 percent of Twitter users expect a response when they mention your brand in posts. More than half of Twitter users expect the answer within an hour.
Engaging with customers and prospective customers through social media builds a relationship with the customer, establishing the foundation for future sales. Working with social media influencers gains positive posts that can link to increased sales with those who actively follow the influencer.Â
Influencer marketing is compelling in niche markets where the influencer has a large following. Influencers can encourage consumers to try the product and become loyal customers if they like what they find.
About Christian Stoneman
Christian Stoneman serves as VP of Sales at NetReputation, a leading online reputation management company. Stoneman puts individuals and businesses in touch with ORM solutions that empower success and profitability across the web.Â
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