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Building a business reputation is easy when you know. The first step towards this goal is to have a long hard look at yourself and start building your own self esteem.

Think about the code of conduct by which you want to lead your own life. Write it down and try and observe it as much as possible. Do not live life by other peoples' ideals. It is far easier and better to live by your own. Be true to yourself.

Greed might work better in the here and now but in the long run honesty will definitely pay off and make you happier.

As your self esteem grows, this will start to have an impact on everything you do and in all your relationships.

Once you think you have built a good reputation with yourself then you can start looking at ways to build your business reputation:

1) Never be the cheapest - better to offer the best service.
2) Always deliver on time - if you can not deliver on time say so as soon as you know.
3) Live up to your marketing material - don't make claims that you can not keep.
4) Pay your suppliers on time and if you can not, negotiate longer payment terms.
5) Look after your staff and they will look after you.
6) Be brutally honest even if it costs you money.
7) Admit your mistakes when things go wrong.
8) Do not overextend yourself - learn to say no.
9) Speak less but speak with more authority.

It can take years to build a decent reputation. In a way it is similar to building a close friendship. People take time to get to know you and trust you and the same applies to the businesses that you deal with.

Remember it's just as much what you do & not only what you say you do that builds your reputation* actions speak much louder than words so make sure you keep your promises.

Business is all about honouring contract. Live your life by the phrase "my word is my bond" and you will seriously gain the trust of your customers, employees and suppliers.

Proper communication is vital to building a decent reputation. It is amazing how many small businesses lose their reputation just by failing in this key area. Keep your customers and suppliers informed about all non sensitive aspect of your business on a regular basis.

Get together with the key people that you would like to enhance your reputation with outwit normal working hours. This will enable you to build long term friendships with the people that count.

As your reputation grows you will start to get more referrals. Your phone will start ringing. People will want to do business with you even if you are not the cheapest.

Eventually when you grow old and grey, you might not be the richest person in the neighbourhood but you will be at peace with yourself. The objective in life is not only to make a huge pile of cash but also to enjoy the journey towards your goals.