They say in the business world that your reputation is everything, and having a bad one will only make things worse. Because of this, you need to manage it well and frequently. These suggestions will help you to develop a good reputation.
When a negative comment comes your way, it’s important to have a good offense. Ensure that lots of people post positive reactions and feedback if you want to drown the negative voices out. Also remember to keep your content fresh and positive in order to negate any possibility of negative feedback mattering.
Make sure you’re very personable on the web. Posting status updates and tweets won’t work until you communicate actively with the audience. Whenever a question is posted on your social media page, answer it as fast as you can. If something is brought up that you are unsure of, let the person know that you value their opinions, and you will get back to them shortly with a solution.
To improve your reputation, always make sure customers are satisfied with follow up communication. Even with a big business, you should still practice this. It’s important to have them feel like you care for them, like they matter. Consider following up with them with automated systems you put in place. Also, attempt asking for feedback on their most recent purchases.
Be sure to monitor social networks frequently. Arnold Worldwide says that over half of the customers out there think that brands need to talk back when they’re asked a question on social media sites. Reply quickly. Since many companies take a while to respond, this will help you stand out.
Make sure the information about your brand is up-to-date and accurate. Staying current ensures you are giving the best new information to all of your customers. Take five minutes a day and do an Internet search to read the latest information about your company’s industry.
Keep private sales out of the public eye. This is key, particularly if you use large discounts as a tool to resolve customer complaints. You never want to post exactly how you are handling a complaint only to see more complaints from those trying to get something for free.
Stay personable. Communicate as often as you can with your followers. Answer any questions that are asked of you; do this as quickly as possible If you do not know the answer to a question, let them know that you’re in the process of getting an answer.
Locate yourself where the customers visit. If they go to a particular store or restaurant, go there a lot. When you’re where your customers are, you can understand them better. People tend to express themselves more freely in a social environment, and that is where you can get to them know them on a personal level.
If you don’t have the time or resources, find a company to manage your reputation. You will surely need to stay hands-on with this, but it does not hurt to have some extra help. Having help is a great idea.
Your business should have clearly defined boundaries in terms of what customers can expect from you. Always be honest with customers from the very start, especially when errors are made, and always stand ready to correct them. Your transparency will foster trust and play a major role in supporting your good reputation.
Keep an eye on your online presence. You can never tell when your company may receive a negative search engine result from an unhappy customer or somebody that just does not like you or your business. Monitoring bad search engine results can prevent negative things from getting to the top. Try to do this bi-monthly.
You must know in what places your company is being discussed, and these places have to be monitored. Learn about the sites customers use to post comments and reviews. Respond to negative comments calmly and professionally.
Many sites offer to post fake reviews that are positive and you might think you competitors use them. Don’t give in to the temptation to do the same. This can be illegal too in some areas.
Make sure your services or products come with a money back promise. These benefits are all considered part of positive customer service. In the case of returns, you may have to eat your profits, simply because the items cannot be sold again as new. However, you’re going to get points in having a reputation that’s good in the corporate sense.
If you own a company, you should always treat your employees well. If you don’t, it will come back to harm you in the end. People will avoid doing business with you if you are a bad employer.
Negative Content
Research your web ranking monthly. Google the company’s name each month and be sure you’re looking through the whole website. Look especially for negative remarks on your website. Check out where the negative content is coming from. Try to handle all negative content as soon as possible.
Reputation management can include handling negative feedback in an honest way. It will show customers that you do not just erase it and forget about the problem. Customers value honesty as much as perfection, so don’t be afraid to admit mistakes and make statements on how the issue is being resolved.
Keep all private promotions private. This is very important, especially if you get a complaint and then offer a discount to help remedy the situation. One tip is to never post the steps you are taking to resolve a particular complaint, because you are bound to get other complaints seeking the same gestures.
Now that you’ve read this, you should know how important reputation management is to you and your business. If you make a mistake, you could ruin your business. You need to adhere to all the ideas in this article until you master them. You will certainly notice a difference in how well your business does.
