Joan Jett famously proclaimed that she didn’t give a damn about her bad reputation. While it sounds cool, how much of her 1980s glam rock sensation relates to today’s business world? A step away from Joan Jett’s signature saying, there is a similar motto: there is no such thing as bad publicity, but how true is that?
While I hate to disagree with Joan Jett – How customers and potential customers perceive your business will directly affect your income and the experience they have.
You need to give a damn about your reputation. It can make or break your business.
The story of your brand is told in every little detail of your customer experience and inspires your reputation, positive or negative. From the entrance, signs, parking, quality, staff, and yes atmosphere – including your background music. Everything has its own page and helps write what people think about when they hear or see your name for years into future. Reputation comes from multiple angles: from the direct customer experience and word-of-mouth discussions between customers and their friends or family to your Google and Facebook reviews, email list, and social media presence. There are a lot of elements to consider which is why, In the case of Joan Jett, I think the song bad reputation speaks to authenticity.
“Just be yourself and everything will fall in line, the way it’s supposed to be. If you’re yourself, that’s the best thing you can do, because you can never go “damn if I’d only been myself.” Live an authentic life and you don’t have to worry about your reputation.” – Joan Jett
Pre-conceived ideas your customers have when they first enter your establishment will have long-standing implications on their experience – but they can be changed. Authenticity remains constant.
The next time you play Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” over your speakers, remember that you should give a damn about your reputation, but it will be worth it as you see your profits and customer base consistently improve.
The Control Play team has been hard at work to create new updates that will help you build and strengthen your reputation. See what we’ve been working by contacting us. We love to help!
