The Accidental Reputation

Have you determined how you want your company to be perceived?

One of my favorite activities as the year comes to a close is helping my clients celebrate what went right this year and plan improvements for next year. It is a time of forward-thinking and optimism, tying perfectly to the happiness of the holidays.

Many small businesses struggle to define and differentiate themselves in the marketplace, so it often happens by accident. When you allow others to define you, your goals and objectives become skewed in the wrong direction.

For companies, defining yourself is your ‘brand’. For individuals, it is your ‘reputation’. We spend a great deal of time and energy building and protecting our reputations, but we often underestimate the importance of our brand: others’ experience of interacting with our company.

As part of your year-end planning, follow this 3-step Perception Planning Process:

• Start by defining your values:  What is important to you? What do you want others to believe about you? That you operate with integrity? That you honor your commitments? That you put customers first? That you foster a balanced workplace?
• Your values translate into behavior, which become your standards. You treat others with respect. You do the right thing even when no one is watching. You take responsibility. You are an excellent listener.
• Craft and send intentional messages that position you and your company. These messages can be conveyed by word, images, or behavior. The key is consistency, which builds trust.

The Block Group advocates for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business.

Applying this holistic approach to business, The Block Group guides organizations through the business cycle, revitalizing management and promoting growth. We bring together the people, resources and ideas that build results.

All the best! 

Patty Block

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