[mp3]http://wordandmouth.com/audio/rev_biz_200909.mp3[/mp3]

I realised today I’m a complete addict to SME success. It made me sweat with excitement. I genuinely felt incredible joy at being a marketing geek, but being happy in my skin and proud to be able to work with some of you incredible people.

There’s only one thing better than personal achievement, and that’s seeing your business blossom. Because in many ways your business is your baby, and absolutely a reflection of you and your capabilities. So irrespective of whether you didn’t jump out of a plane today for charity, if your business is on the up – or even if it’s doing as well as last year – give yourself a hearty pat on the back and be safe in the knowledge that you are amazing because of it.

One thing you gotta realise as a business owner is that the only way you can guarantee success on professional terms is by thinking marketing, brand and reputation 24/7.

Many of you will know I run a site called customergency.com which looks at the very latest thinking on customer service and satisfaction. And the one thing I learned from working on this proposition is that without satisfaction, there’s no loyalty. Without loyalty, you enjoy very little word of mouth marketing or referrals. In this day and age, you don’t get closer to a golden egg than word of mouth marketing because it’s free, and more valuable than any campaign crashing through your door into the big wide world.

This is exactly why you need to keep your finger on the marketing pulse at all the time.

Marketing can be a scary word. We think of marketing vehicles as those nasty thunder trucks employed and abused by titans of industry to run roughshod over the innocent consumer. To baffle and trick, to make people think they need the product when it’s just a nasty basket of bile.

But marketing at grass roots level can be sweeter than honey. And I admit, some big companies use it just as well. Take Innocent, the drinks manufacturer, which used to run large-scale village fetes to espouse its philosophy of giving back to the people who buy its products. I like that.

So how do you think marketing to protect and boost your reputation, and to take your brand recognition to the next level:

1. Care. We’re talking fundamentals here. The small things. Go out of your way to help your existing customers. Give them a sample. Give them a call. Above all, talk to them. And don’t forget that when it comes to brand advocacy (the whole loyalty/word of mouth thing) it’s not just your most frequent customers that give you their trust. It can be Mr and Mrs Average Buyer who don’t need you so frequently but nonetheless think the sun shines out of your arse.
2. Look and listen. One for both your internal customers (staff) and external clients. Next time you meet a customer on the street, or talk to one of your employees, notice their reactions. Are they bold and warm, or shruggish and standoffish? Find a common theme and expand on it. How’s your football team doing? Have you seen that great new lasagne recipe? Loosen them up if they’re cold, or expand on the dialogue if they’re friendly. As a little test, ask them what they think of your new product range, or your service. Combine everything here and you’ll get some really valuable insight into how your business is doing. Then you’ll realise the importance of body language as a litmus test of your business reputation and effectiveness. And don’t forget your clients are also your suppliers. They are savvy; they know your industry inside out and can point out where your strengths and weaknesses are off the bat.
3. Encourage feedback. At all stages of your relationship with the customer, find out what they think. At every touchpoint. Whether you’re using a web survey (if so, make sure the results don’t get cobwebbed at the back of some cupboard; use them to produce action!), or a chat at the counter, or even a visit to their premises. Make sure whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it as a direct result of what your customers and contacts are telling you. Unless it’s a decision on the direction of your business. As a leader and a believer in the instinct/research balance, only you know the right way to move.
4. Smarten up and get wise. Make decisions based on a variety of causes – from gut feel to employee feedback to customer opinion to market flow. Everything will influence you as you think about your brand and reputation. Whatever marketing decisions you make, they need to be from the heart and head. But you can take baby steps towards the decisions by looking closely at how you do business, and refining your strategy.
   • Are your marketing materials sharp and to the point?
   • Do you make it easy for customers to buy from you?
   • Are you ‘out there’ enough? As a person and as a brand?
   • What are your competitors doing that you aren’t?
5. Question your motives. Are you doing this for personal gain alone, or to give something back to the community? Corporate altruism is something that many an organisation favours in this day and age. Sponsor a football team. Give your staff a couple of days off a year to involve themselves in charity projects. Do a project every year for a good cause. Karma rides on the back of benevolence. You’ll be surprised how word gets around once you dig in. The smile from within at being part of the greater good will manifest itself on your face, and your customers will feel it and know about it. The edge over your competitors is guaranteed. And positive PR and publicity will follow.