The stress of gaining respect and building a strong reputation in an industry is part of creating a business. The minute you turn on the lights and open your company doors, in some cases, the clients and the sales flood in. But a lot of times, it is a building process, especially since there are a multitude of corporations out there.
Trust me, I understand competitive industries; particularly given the amount of people who are life coaches and radio show hosts. That is why figuring out how you want people to view your company is key. Building a reputation for your business that will set you apart from others really begins with discovering the core purpose of your organization, or what I like to call the “secret sauce.” These steps to finding the heart of your company will guide you in strengthening and shaping the reputation of your business.
Define Your Objective
Ask yourself, “What is the problem I am solving?” Very rarely is any business a true original, so it can be beneficial to establish the aim of your company and how you want to stand out. Understanding what your goal is enables you to achieve the vision you have for your business. The problem you are solving is the mission of your company. Once you have figured out your objective, think about moving forward with purpose.
Set Your Intentions
To determine the reputation you want your business to have, you should act intentionally in every aspect. When you decide the personality, voice, and culture of your company, all of the content you publish or projects you undertake should purposefully reflect that. You want to put your best foot forward, which involves always being deliberate about how you handle guests, clients, or employees. I have people on my show who have faced suicide, bullying, sexual abuse, and more adversities, and I do not run from these difficult topics. I act thoughtfully and honor my guests when I have them tell their stories. Many times they will come back to me and say “thank you for unfolding my story the way that you did.” When you are intentional with what you do, you can be proud of the work you produce and people will respect you.
Standing Out
We all want to be a unique business that attracts clients. In order to do this, go the extra mile when it comes to working with people. When collaborating with other companies, I make seeing how we can work together as easy as possible. I do the heavy lifting by providing a full proposal and multiple visions for them to consider. When you approach people with options, it is easier for them to have something more tangible to grab onto and work with. This will support you in building your reputation as a business that other corporations can trust, which then attracts more people to your brand.
The Secret Sauce
At the core of a reputable business is the secret sauce. This is the personality of your company, the corporate culture, the aspect of your brand that makes you different. It is built from defining your problem, acting intentionally, and standing out.
As a little girl, I used to love watching Oprah and wanted a job like hers. When I got out there in the workforce, I realized how many people wanted to be reporters or radio and TV show hosts: I had to figure out what made me unique. The focus became not how to be another Oprah, but discovering who I was and what made me different.
Knowing I am legally blind, when I do my radio show there are no distractions of a time clock or note cards – everything is ad-libbed and from the heart, which makes what I do more authentic. This is my secret sauce. I built my business around authenticity by making sure the atmosphere and the hearts of everyone in the company are in alignment. As the CEO and founder at Living Full Out, I truly have everyone in mind. We subtitle videos for people who are unable to hear; we voice our phone numbers and emails for those who are unable to see; we always write in the “you” statement so people know that we stand beside them. Everything is done by design and stems from this secret sauce, which is what makes a business one-of-a-kind.
Also, know that building a strong reputation takes time. In relationships, there is the phrase “fast to start, fast to finish,” and this is true in business, too. The personality, voice, and the way people view your business will happen in steps, but crafting your company’s personality with intention will reap big rewards.