Reputation Management is one of those areas that every business owner is aware off, yet when it comes to the online world, they often don’t know where to start. A recent post on Small Business Labs highlights the need to work much smarter on your reputation management strategies.
The post highlighted some interesting statistics which include a report that 60% of those surveyed stated they would use social media to vent their feelings about a poor experience. This is where reputation management and reputation surveillance really need to be closely monitored.
Other statistics indicated that over 70% of respondents would use social media to undertake some form of research regarding reputation prior to purchasing and the recommendations of others could play an important role in their decision making. This reinforces the view that reputation management is not a task that is only undertaken after a storm.
Many novice social marketers have an approach where they expect results from their activities immediately. Possibly a sign of today’s impatient world. Social marketing, and with it your reputation management strategies, should be planned for the long term.
The most important aspect of social engagement is the development of your reputation over a period of time. Trust is a key point and by developing a trust within the community you are active in, whilst not totally insulating yourself from negative comments, you will find many defending you or your product or services. This is reputation management on auto pilot and its value cannot be counted in dollar terms.
To work smarter on your reputation management you need to gather around you, on any of the social sites, a group of individuals who have not only used your product or service, but are also happy to discuss their experiences when prompted. If you really want to protect your reputation and make your reputation management easier, you need to provide that positive experience in the first place.
