It’s been said reputation is everything. Reputation is defined as the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally. Forbes online had a great article that sparked my interest about Online Reputation Management.
Businesses aren’t the guys who got drunk and tried to get rid of their embarrassing pictures on Facebook. Businesses want to make sure their names and brands present a reputable image to their existing & potential customers. To ensure this, companies rely on internal or external Online Reputation Management (ORM).
ORM can be done one of two ways. Like a popular movie from the 80s you can either follow the tiny, green, Buddha-like sensei or the yin to his yang, dark master with the red lightsaber. To those nerds like myself, you know who I’m talking about!
The darker path includes censoring your complaints, paying people to write good reviews for you, or misleading your potential customers through SEO tactics that are unethical.
The better and more ethical way would be to manage your ORM head on. Below is a list of things that you can do to manage your reputation from turning to the dark side.
- Be proactive in your ORM. It’s a lot easier to maintain a high reputation than to create one out of thin air.
- Be honest with your audience. Don’t over promise what you can deliver.
- Make sure that you don’t send mixed messages to your customers by saying one thing and doing another.
- Don’t try to censor your site. If you receive a bad review on Yelp or another review site, own it! Talk to your customers to address the issue & learn something about them.
- Pay attention to your brand on Social Media and see if you are being represented the right way.
- Ask your customers that have complained to come back, see if their experiences have improved, and ask them to write a follow-up review.
Now, these aren’t the only tips one could use to maintain a high reputation. However, it’s a great start.
To quote the wise, green man, “If you end your training now — if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did — you will become an agent of evil.” Don’t choose the dark side. Make sure that your reputation is strong and your company stays viable.
Images from sxc.hu
