One of the classic pieces of advice we give to the younger generation is to not care so much what other people think. You need to be yourself, now what you think others want you to be. If someone doesn’t like what you’re offering, that doesn’t mean you should change. What other people think ultimately doesn’t matter.

Of course, in the world of business, we don’t quite have that luxury! What other people think of your business is going to determine whether or not they’re going to invest in your product. And if no-one’s doing that, then you’re not going to be making the revenue your business needs to survive!

Here are some tips for boosting your public image.

What’s your story?

Your business has a target audience, right? You should decide what you want that target audience to think of you. By extension, you also need to decide what you want them to know about you. Is it important that they think you’re funny? That you’re not some cold-hearted “all business all the time” company? Then work towards that. Decide on the “story” of your company and tell if through your advertising.

A killer website

If your website isn’t beautiful and easy to use, users are going to think you simply don’t care. If you’ve made your website difficult to use, then what’s to say you won’t make their experience with you a difficult one?

Amazing copy

Your website and advertising materials can’t be filled with tired business rhetoric. The text you publish is ultimately what’s really going to suck people into your mindset. Don’t just fill your copy with buzzwords and discussions of profits and targets. Work with creative copywriters to ensure your text is unique and original.

Direct contact with consumers

Nothing makes or breaks a business’s public image quite like the way it deal with its customers. If you’re being rude or uninformative in your communication with customers, then that’s going to become widely known. Twitter provides a great platform on which to exchange in great communication with customers. It also ensures that your exchanges are seen by the public! Just look at this exchange between UK company Argos and an annoyed customer.  The company were both helpful and funny, and the story went viral.

Professional public outreach

Of course, your communication with customers and other companies can’t always be so fun or small-scale. Sometimes you need to be a bit more serious when addressing particular topics with certain audiences. Remember to alter your tone of voice when needed, or consider getting help with your corporate communication.

Keeping your action consistent with your philosophy

Don’t say one thing then do something else. One thing that companies love to do when trying to “tell their story” is outline their values. What principles they follow. What’s important to them. This is absolutely something you should be doing. But you need to make sure your actions are consistent with your outlined philosophy. Don’t, for example, say you care about the environment then strike up a partnership with a company who destroys rainforests. Stay true to your word!