Plan your Online Reputation Today: It’s that Important

Your organization’s reputation must be thought of as it were a brand — a highly protected brand. Reputations Corporation, a Canadian based consultancy group, explains that reputation is a reflection of an organization over time as seen through the eyes of its various audiences: customers, investors, employees and the media, among others, who consider such factors as: product quality, management, financial performance, social responsibility and market leadership. Reputation, therefore, is earned (and not bought). 

Much like public relations, word of mouth and reputation building must be purposeful, deliberate and strategic. So how do individuals and companies begin to better manage, control and craft positive word of mouth advertising?

First, start with the end in mind. The goal is to influence a decision and ultimately to help sell a product/service. This means building productive relationships among many audiences. It’s about understanding how to create genuine customer enthusiasm and how to share it with future fans.

It’s about caring as much about people reputation as product reputation. Remember, given today’s highly competitive market, reputation is crucial to building and maintaining success and, moreover, it’s vulnerable to even the slightest misstep or service mishap.

Here are five quick tips any business can consider as a framework to planning a strategy to create a positive public relations:

1. Are you proactive about delivering messages to your targets? 
2. Do you have an ongoing media strategy and a proactive approach to influencing your publics? If you don’t have the expertise, consider the benefit of hiring a professional.
3. Have you determined which messages are resonating with reporters?
4. Have you created accountability by setting standards and metrics?
5. Have you created a brand differentiation?

If you need additional proof as to the importance of delivering your brand message, keep in mind these findings from Reputations Corporation:

* 72 percent of consumers say reputation influences their buying decisions.
* 80 percent of employees will accept less pay to work with a company with an excellent reputation.
* 89 percent say reputation is a tiebreaker between equal products.

Above all, do what you say and say what you’ll do. Your community, customers, employees, vendors and media want to know what they are getting and what to expect. Make your reputation deliberate. Don’t keep us guessing.

There’s no time for it.