Maintaining positive public relations is a vital part of running a successful business. Part of this comes down to excellent branding and relationships with consumers. The business-customer relationship has changed throughout the decades due to a multitude of factors such as technological growth and shifting attitudes towards companies as personalities.
Your business needs to have a strong, reliable brand image which the public will more easily relate to. Here are a few key elements to remember when building a brand that will positively impact your public relations.
Trustworthiness
Your branding should be as honest as possible. Don’t make claims that your business can’t prove to be true. It is far worse to be found out as dishonest and untrustworthy than it is to leave room for positive growth. For example, if your business has yet to take any meaningful steps towards limiting its carbon footprint, don’t claim to be eco-friendly on your website. Consumers see right through these lies and won’t appreciate being misled. Instead, acknowledge areas for improvement and allow space for your business to improve and develop.
Consistency
Your brand image must be consistent in all areas in order to strengthen and maintain positive public relations. Inconsistent and weak brands leave the consumer feeling confused or irritated—either way, much more likely to choose your competitor over you. By keeping your brand image the same across the board, you signal to your consumers and shareholders that your business has integrity and the ability to deliver on its promises.
Following through on promises
Speaking of promises, your business should emphasize a regular and clear promise to its consumers through its branding. If you set out to sell something, it is not unreasonable for your customer to expect to receive it. For example, if your business uses dropshipping then there is a possibility of something going awry along the way. Don’t make promises you can’t keep and maintain honest communication with your customers. Understanding dropshipping will help you avoid letting your customers down in this example, but factors like this are important to remember when building a strong brand for any kind of business.
Tips for creating a strong and reliable brand image that customers can trust
Here are a few ways you can enforce a consistent brand image that encourages your business to be seen in the positive light it deserves.
1. Attractive and unique visuals
Recruit the assistance of a designer whose work you appreciate and believe would suit your business. Don’t rush the process of fine tuning the visual assets such as logo and webpages otherwise you risk compromising an essential aspect of strong branding.
2. Strong tone of voice
Any copy that is shown on any client-facing platform belonging to your business, such as webpages, social media and traditional print marketing, must be consistent and well-considered. If your business were a person, how would it sound?
3. Quiet confidence
If you want to reassure customers that your business is worth interacting with, let your products and services do the talking. With a crisp brand image and a quality product, the rest will fall into place.
