As a small business owner, reputation means everything! It’s extremely important to establish and maintain a solid reputation in your local community. Be known as the local “Concrete Resurfacing Expert.” Know the competition in your area, and the products and services available to your potential customers. Keep up appearances, be honest, be professional and always be punctual for your appointments. Remember all the work involved to get those valuable appointments. If you must be late… call to reschedule.
Get the word out in your community about “who you are” and “what you do.” Try different things. Sponsor a Little League baseball team or become a contributing booster for local schools. Always continue to work on your reputation in the community. This will go a long way in building credibility with your customers. Another easy way to build your reputation and credibility is to speak at local public engagements. Take time to think about and research, where do local businessmen or home owners get together? What organizations are in your community? The local Chamber of Commerce will have information regarding Kiwanis Clubs, VFWs, Home Builder’s Associations, Home Owner’s Association, Garden Clubs, small business organizations, YMCA’s, etc. Join a few of your local organizations and ask to speak at more. All civic organizations need speakers for their luncheons and meetings. Most of us dread speaking in public. So, make it as easy as possible for yourself, come armed with as many visual aids as possible. Bring sample boards, portfolios, brochures, etc. Put yourself in a position to let the product sell itself. Essentially, you are building your network. Hopefully, the better your network the more credibility you will gain in your community. Remember, when speaking in public it’s okay to be nervous. Look at it as just another Home and Garden Show, but with a captive audience. Keep it simple, but make it fun!
A wise man once said, “actions speak louder than words.” So get the ball rolling and call your local Chamber of Commerce… find out who’s out there. If you don’t know who they are, they won’t know who you are!
