Did you know your design business has a reputation? Have you ever thought about your design business’s reputation? What both your clients and more importantly potential clients know about you? Having a good reputation for your design business will not only enhance those important client relationships. But it can also increase your overall revenue and profit. So it’s vital that you do everything to avoid a negative reputation and make sure everyone sees you in a positive way. In this episode of the Resourceful Designer podcast, I share tips for improving your design business's reputation. Be sure to listen to the podcast for the full story. Here are some tips to manage your design business’s reputation Timely responses Provide timely responses to all inquiries, comments, complaints or requests you receive. It doesn’t matter if it’s on social media, by email, a phone call, even an old fashion letter. Getting back to someone in a timely manner will help your reputation. Handle criticism well Negative feedback and criticism can be harsh. How you handle it will influence your reputation. Reply to these comments politely and constructively, and use this feedback as a way to improve yourself and your business. You are a designer after all. Hopefully, you’ve developed a thick skin in dealing with criticism. Promote your clients Promote customer testimonials, success stories, and customer references on your website and print promotional materials. Clients like thinking they’re special. Show them off and your work along with it to your other clients. Create a client referral program One thing you may want to try is creating a customer referral program. It could be a discount on future orders or a gift card to a popular store or restaurant. Doing so will encourage happy customers to spread the word about you and your services. In the process, your reputation will grow. Ask clients for reviews and testimonials Encourage happy clients to write reviews and testimonials about their experience dealing with you. Having a client say good things about you will go a long way to increasing your positive reputation. Be sure to share them as mentioned above. Share with your clients Create newsletters, blogs, and even vlogs to keep your clients informed about new products or services you offer as well as industry news, and other helpful tips or resources. If you show you care about your clients they will care about you. Follow your clients Show you care about your clients by following them on social media. If they mention an event or a milestone congratulate them and share their message. To make this easier Set up social management tools and Google alerts so you can track and respond to client mentions on the web. Don't forget things like birthdays, anniversaries, events, etc. Better Business Bureau Set up a BBB (Better Business Bureau) profile so consumers can check your credibility. This will go a long way in improving your reputation. Customer appreciation Create customer appreciation events that are focused on thanking your customers for their loyal business. Community involvement Nothing makes you or your business look better than showing that you care about your community. Sponsor local organizations and teams, or donate time, money, or services to a charity to show your community support. Ask for advice Create customer surveys and offer a valuable coupon in exchange for your customer's time and input. Letting them know you care about their opinion will go a long way to helping your reputation. How do you manage your design business's reputation? Let me know your goals by leaving a comment for this episode. Questions of the Week Submit your question to be featured in a future episode of the podcast by visiting the feedback page. This week’s question comes from Jerome I am a young student and I am into graphic design. I need help choosing a name for my business. To find out what I told Jerome you’ll have to listen to the podcast. Resource of t