If you’ve ever seen brands or businesses ruin their reputation, then you already have an idea how difficult life becomes. As an entrepreneur or a business one of the most important value that you create is a relationship of trust. So, stop ruining your reputation as entrepreneur to ensure that you are not breaking any.
Don’t Forge Anything
It’s a terrible idea to forge a document in a business. A fake invoice, inflated accounts or a fraudulent certification are the most common forgeries entrepreneurs are caught for. The entrepreneurs and their businesses comes under strict verification process when dealing with banks, other businesses or by the tax men and other government officials. It could even lead to a criminal case at worst for white collar fraud and negative references in the industry for the rest of your career ruining your reputation.
Stop Making False Claims
It’s tempting to overstate quality standards or inflate numbers or lifetime of your product or use an false claim from a made up customer. Know that customers are aware of what they want to buy and will research you and reach out to previous customers, friends and colleagues for a reference check. A single false claim ruins your reputation and brand value as an entrepreneur.
Also Read: Top 5 Critical Mistakes That Jeopardize Entrepreneurs
Do Not Jazz Up Your Past
It’s easy to lapse into overselling and make false claim of how well your product or services is working and the customers love for it or inflate one’s skills when trying to get funded. Investors have tons of experience with entrepreneurs and ask detailed or indirect questions to expose the truth about how good a business or you really are. Customers could also see a hidden agenda if your story does not add up to what you tell. Consider them gone for good.
Never Mess Up Online
Today brands can grow online or ruin their reputation overnight by the actions and decisions they make. Potential consumers and customers do an online social verification to know your authenticity on the internet. Every client will check you out on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and every other possible social media channels and online platforms if relevant. If not yet done, it’s time to tidy up your professional profile and clean up your angry rants, embarrassing pics and posts to the extent as possible.
Also Read: 5 Problems That Let Customers Hate Your Company
The customer satisfaction that you have gained or how good your relationship with other business will be immortal online. Therefore, think twice before you post something online.
Don’t Pile On the Lies
It takes 20 YEARS to build a reputation and 5 MINUTES to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.
– Warren Buffett
Worse than lying is trying to cover it up or defend it thus increasing the negative consequences. If you have already said or posted a false claim, choose to correct it before you are in trouble. If that is not possible, come clean at the earliest and apologize for the error. Whatever you do stop piling on the lies. As an entrepreneur it is far more important for us to remain trustworthy and true to our words to be successful always.
Do you know any other ways you could stop ruining your reputation as entrepreneur? Comment them on Trdinoo for others to learn. Please subscribe and share us with your friends and networks.
