Accentuate the Positive - Why Reputation Management is Crucial

Once, in the not-so-distant past, one looked to recommendations from friends and family when seeking details on businesses, from which attorney to call to where to go for lunch. Now, thanks to a globally-connected world, you can rely on feedback and reviews from people you’ll never meet but who have experienced what you’re seeking.

Online recommendations can be incredibly helpful for consumers, but these rating systems can be a double-edged sword for business owners. For example, a terrific, small, family-owned restaurant might get five-star ratings for its amazing food, service and ambiance, only to get slammed with one-star ratings by disgruntled customers upset about having to wait for a table. Customers are rating and commenting on your business, and their words impact potential spending decisions of others. So, what’s a company to do?

Reputation management. It’s not enough to do business with honesty, integrity and quality, you must also proactively respond to and manage how your company is listed and rated on a variety of websites, apps and social media channels. Here are four ways to jumpstart your company’s reputation management strategy.

Search for Your Company

Whether it’s Google, other search engines, or various social media platforms like Facebook or Yelp, the first thing you should do is a quick search of your company to find out what is already “out there.” Good, bad or ugly, you have to know before you can handle any potential issues. If you’re searching on Google, sign out of your own account first so you can see what pops up for the general public.

Claim Your Company’s Google Listing

When searching for a company on a web browser, the company’s Google listing generally pops up on the screen, including important information, such as hours, location and photos. But, what if it’s a little off? What if the pictures are less than ideal? Fortunately for business owners and their communication teams, it’s possible to claim a Google listing and correct those details, then use the Google listing as a marketing tool.

Get Social with Your Company Name

Ensure you have social media accounts for your business with the company name as the page name. There are many reasons to do this, not the least of which is that potential customers often search for brands on social media before they search anywhere else. In many respects, socials have become the new Yellow Pages. Sign up for accounts with your company’s name on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and any other platforms that apply to your industry ASAP.

Monitor and Respond to Reviews

Potential customers are watching. They want to know how you handle customer service issues, as this may reflect the experience they have with your business. That tiny but amazing restaurant mentioned at the beginning of this piece is an example of a real, beloved local restaurant. How can the owners combat negative reviews from people who are frustrated they can’t get a table? One way is for the owner or spokesperson to respond and explain that there will be a wait at certain times because of the size of the restaurant and the fact that all food is made from scratch, but it’s worth it. Or, perhaps, they apologize for the wait and offer to have the disgruntled customer come back on a low-volume night and enjoy a free drink or appetizer. Even if the customer doesn’t take them up on it, other patrons see your response and know you care about their experience and your reputation.

If all of this sounds like a lot to handle on your own or with your existing staff, communications firms can handle it for you. Consider hiring a firm with expertise in online reputation management so you can take care of any issues now, before they become a larger issue or harder to fix.

Kristine Gobbo is the founder/president of Spectrum Public Relations, a full-service marketing and PR firm located in South Florida. Contact: 561-463-0777 or [email protected].