6 Powerful Ways To Build (And Maintain) Your Business’s CredibilitySmall Business Strategy

As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly looking for ways to set yourself apart from other businesses. And, you’ve probably tried a million and one strategies to get ahead of the competition. 

What if I told you there are simpler ways to stand out? If you want your business to succeed and pull ahead of the competition, you need to be trusted in your industry. So … how do you do that? Cue credibility. 

6 Ways To Build Credibility

Building credibility is complex. It can take a lot of time to build your customers’ trust. Not to mention, it takes even more work to maintain that trust. 

Credibility is important for small businesses and large corporations alike. Without it, your business can struggle to attract and retain customers.

If you want to build trust with your customers, put in a little legwork and show them you can be trusted. Check out six ways you can build and maintain your business’s credibility below. 

With many things in business, consistency is key. Your business’s website should be consistent. Your ads should be consistent. Your tone should be consistent. You get the picture.

Everything you do and say as a business owner must be consistent. Credibility and trust can only happen if you’re keeping things consistent from the inside out. The more consistent you are with your customers, the more likely you are to maintain said credibility and retain those customers in the long run. 

2. Showcase Achievements 

As a business owner, you’re going to experience small (and big) “wins” along the way. From serving your first customer to winning an award, you need to celebrate and recognize your achievements. If you want to build your credibility, showcase your wins.

When it comes to your business’s achievements, you shouldn’t be bashful. After all, you earned them! 

Put your achievements front and center for everyone to see. Spotlight your achievements on your business website. Showcase any awards or achievements you received in your store (e.g., trophy or plaque). However you plan on promoting your achievements, make sure they speak to your credibility. 

Don’t be afraid to show your customers, vendors, and employees that you’re proud of your achievements and how far your business has come. 

3. Practice What You Preach

The foundation of a business’s credibility is trust. Without trust, your company will never build up credibility. And if you want to build up your business’s credibility, you need to lead by example. In short, you have to practice what you preach.

Nobody’s going to trust your business if you’re saying one thing and doing another. To boost credibility, you need to be honest across the board. That means being transparent with customers, employees, vendors, and investors.

Keeping your communication open and honest not only sets an example for your employees (or co-workers, as I like to call them), but also shows others that they can trust you and your small business.

When it comes to building your business’s credibility, be as crystal clear as possible. Show others that you have nothing to hide. And, own up to your mistakes (and learn from them). 

At my accounting software and payroll software company, Patriot Software, I try to be as transparent as possible with my co-workers. I keep them updated with company news in our monthly newsletter, Bits and Bytes. That way, I make sure they hear all company information from me first. 

4. Use Testimonials To Your Advantage

One of the easiest ways to build your business’s credibility is to use your customers’ words to your advantage. And if customers are leaving your business some solid reviews, don’t sleep on them.

Use your customers’ testimonials to boost your business’s credibility. Collect testimonials from online reviews, social media, and surveys. Use positive feedback from your customers to help build up your business’s credibility. And, use any negative feedback to improve your business going forward. 

Share the glowing reviews as much as you can. Email marketing campaigns, your business website, social media, and print marketing are just a few great ways to spread what your customers have to say. 

Maybe you’ll devote an entire page on your small business website to customer testimonials. Or, maybe you will sprinkle reviews in email campaigns. Either way, incorporate customer reviews as much as you can to help build credibility in the business community. 

5. Offer The Best Of The Best

If you want to build up your business’s credibility over time, you have to develop and offer the best of the best (e.g., top-tier products or services). No business can build up their credibility with weak products or services and negative customer reviews.

If you want to be a credible business, you’ve got to work for it. When it comes to your product or service, make sure it’s top of the line. If there’s a customer complaint or issue with your offering, address it ASAP. That way, you can make sure you’re rolling out the best possible product or service.

The same should go for your customer service. Sure, you can have an A+ product. But if you don’t have friendly, reliable, and knowledgeable customer service, your business’s credibility can quickly sink. 

No one wants to talk to a disgruntled customer service representative. Customers want to talk to an individual who listens to their problems and can resolve issues quickly. 

From products and services to customer service, your business should be offering the best of the best to customers to help establish and maintain credibility.

6. Become BFFs With Guest Blogging

When you’re trying to build up your credibility, exposure on the world wide web is your golden ticket to success. If you want to become more credible in your industry, start building some business relationships with the online crowd. So, how the heck do you do that? Well, guest blogging, of course!

One of the most powerful ways to build credibility in your industry and introduce others to your brand and voice is by guest blogging. Plus, guest blogging can give your brand’s reputation a boost. Trust me when I say this, guest blogging can work wonders for your startup.

At my company, Patriot Software, we love, love, love to guest post. Over the years, we’ve not only been able to build up our network, but we’ve also gained a lot of experience and exposure. 

Not sure where to begin? No worries! When it comes to guest blogging, take baby steps. Research your industry to find blogs with a similar audience as you.

As time goes on and you build up your guest blog portfolio, you can begin pitching to bigger names in your industry for guest posts.