In today’s business world, it is very important to manage one’s reputation in the eyes of customers and potential business partners. As many businesses go online, it becomes equally important to manage their online reputation, and they need to be mindful of their actions in the virtual world. To develop a positive reputation in the online world, a business should be able to see how customers view its practices, products and services, and what is being said about the company in the virtual circles. Here are some tips to manage your online reputation, which can help in winning potential customers and strengthen ties with business partners:
Keep your eyes and ears open
It is very important for a business to proactively manage and monitor its online reputation so that any negative publicity may be handled effectively. To handle any situation that gives the business a bad name, it is important to be aware what the people think about the business. A business should constantly search different sources of information such as the web and set up email alerts to become aware of what the people are saying about it. Without knowing the public perception about the products and services offered by the company, it would become very difficult to manage the online reputation in a targeted way.
Develop an active online community
With the advent of social media, people are easily influenced by their circle of family and friends. A business must become active on all channels frequented by its target market and customers. The power of online communities should be tapped through blogging, forum participation and even physically reaching out to the community. Becoming an active member of the community would help to develop a positive brand image and generate good publicity for the business. By gaining more positive citations, a business would be in a better shape to effectively manage its online reputation. Social media can be used as a helpful medium for communication and customer support. More and more businesses are setting up their official pages and groups on these social media channels. As consumers often share their experiences on social media, which are viewed by their friends and family, it is important that businesses provide excellent customer services to win over customers. In case the company receives bad press, these online channels also prove to be effective in conveying the message to public that the business is taking active measures to counter the situation.
Welcome customer feedback
While most customers generally trust the product reviews received from their close ones, many of them also like to do their own research. These customers turn to search engines like Google and other product review websites to know more about experiences of other people with the product. Businesses should welcome customers to share their feedback and reviews about the product. These reviews, both good and bad, could really help the business by keeping the product information fresh and accurate. By keeping such forums open for interaction with the customers, a business may be able to win some points for customer service. Businesses may also encourage customer reviews through comment cards and links to business profiles in different publications. Positive product reviews can help the business to develop a favorable reputation and increase its customer base.
With Yasni the above mentioned statements can be combined very well: With a Yasni Exposé you can both monitor your online reputation as well as influence it. You will receive all new information comfortably by e-mail at any time and will be found better by potential customers. With the Yasni product “Exposé Promotion” there are even more possibilities: The Exposé will be displayed on top of all competitors not having Exposé Promotion. Furthermore, the offer or service will be more eye-catching by entering a short slogan and displaying the Exposé on the Yasni front page.
Donna Hays is a full-time PR consultant and marketer. She is a keen reader and freelancer of topics related to businesses and social media. She writes for Degree Jungle a resource for university students.
I agree it is very important to maintain a good reputation. Most business is attained through word of mouth. It is said every bad complaint is told to 5 others while a good may not necessarily be told to others but when it is asked, it is usually a glowing review. – Lanny Rivera