Gone are the days when businesses depended on word of mouth to grow their business. But today, the biggest influencer of buying decisions is, of course, the Internet. With consumers researching online reviews before purchasing, your online reputation can make your business succeed or fail.

Today, we’re sharing 7 steps you can take to keep your company in a positive light:

1. Claim your business

Taking and keeping control of your online business listings helps you keep business information current, respond to reviews, and answer questions.

2. Monitor your reviews

A negative review can go viral quickly, so stay on top of what people say about your business. Monitor your reviews on every major platform, including Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc.

3. Set up and monitor alerts

Establish Google Alerts to get an instant notification when your website or business is mentioned online. You can also use social-specific tools like HootSuite to track mentions on social platforms.

4. Provide stellar customer service

There are reviewers out there who will do a hatchet job on businesses for no reason. But for the most part, if you want to earn a reputation for providing good service, you must give good service. If your customers are sincerely pleased with their experience with your business, they’ll make it known.

5. Keep reviews current

Many positive reviews are great, but over 70% of consumers think that reviews are no longer relevant when they’re more than three months old, so refresh your reputation regularly by posting new reviews.

6. Reach out to happy customers

Unhappy customers are more likely to communicate their experiences with others, so be sure to ask satisfied customers to leave your business a review. And don’t be timid about asking: 7 out of 10 customers will leave a review if asked.

7. Be receptive

One of the best things you can do for your online reputation is to interact with those people who take the time to review your business. Reply to positive reviews with a heartfelt thank you, and don’t let the negative reviews bother you. Surveys show that nearly 70% of consumers trust reviews more when some negative reviews are mixed in with the positive ones. However, negative reviews must be handled correctly. And that means resisting the impulse to get defensive and always being courteous and apologetic.

In today’s digital world, you’ve got to do everything you can to protect the reputation of your business. Blue Orchid Marketing can help you get more reviews for your business, promote those reviews in all the right places, and address negative reviews – the right way – in real time.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation, and let us take the guesswork out of your email marketing efforts. Call us at 203-746-5901 or email us at sales@BlueOrchidMarketing.com to schedule a consultation.