How Your Online Reputation Can Help Shape the Customer Journey
November 1, 2021 | Read: 4 minutes
The authority, credibility, and trustworthiness that comprise the online reputation of a business aren’t mere factors in closing a deal once consumers are prepared to commit to purchases.
Instead, they’re integral elements of every stage of the customer’s journey, and it begins before the actual sale.
Whether you view it as a life cycle or a funnel, the sales process generally includes the following phases: awareness, consideration, purchase, service, and advocacy.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how each affects your customers’ journey.
Improve Awareness
The first phase in any customers’ journey is becoming aware of the existence of the business. With an excellent reputation, it’s easier to guide users, help them find your offerings online, and encourage them to perform actions that will lead to the success of your business.
Conversely, your business is likely to lose online visibility if it isn’t seen in a positive light. Therefore, you must demonstrate the value of your business by highlighting those who publicly support it.
Social proof of the brand’s performance offers credibility and will have an enduring impact on how the target audience perceives you.
Build Trust
When people begin engaging with a business by exploring its website or interacting with salespeople, are they given confidence and trust?
At the consideration stage, it’s crucial to win over prospective customers with solid communication that shows how your entrepreneurial venture can address their needs and expectations.
Consumers today won’t just make a purchase impulsively; they’ll want to get objective insight from others about a company and its products. So make sure that you can perceive their needs, especially if they fail to realize them.
Consider hiring online reputation management services too. Their knowledge and expertise can go a long way in helping you through all stages of the buyer’s journey.
Drive Purchasing Decisions
Once consumers reach the purchase stage, it means that they’re more or less leaning towards your business. However, that’s not to say that it’s a done deal.
After all, they’ll still want to get some proof that the risks of spending on a website that’s unsafe are non-existent. Fortunately, it’s a relatively simple affair to elevate customer trust in your enterprise.
All you need to do is improve your online domain’s security through security protocols and encryption. You’ll also want to display icons and badges that indicate that the business is verified and safe.
It may sound simple – and in reality, it is. But it can give users the push they need to turn into paying customers.
Improve Service Experience
The above-mentioned elements primarily deal with the way people look at a business.
However, the service stage is where your actions and ability to prove credibility will come into play. After converting consumers, you must show them that they’re valued. Otherwise, the relationship will appear transactional, driving down the brand’s trustworthiness as a result.
To avoid this, you’ll have to reach out and connect with your customers and demonstrate your commitment to enriching their experience with the business and ensure that they’re satisfied with your offerings.
Benefit from Advocacy
Last but not least is advocacy.
It’s essentially a stage that won’t be up to the business to manage and refers to how impressed and willing consumers are to become repeat customers.
You’ll understand whether or not you’ve succeeded once sales increase and people begin recommending your offerings to others.
Build your online reputation with our guide:
Brand credibility and trust work in facilitating every step in the process of the buyer’s journey. For this reason, you must always ensure that your business always has a good image.
So be sure to secure the services of capable online reputation management experts. Their work will give you peace of mind that public perception always remains positive.
For more on how to improve your online reputation, take a look at our post that covers the best review sites on which to feature your field service business.
