Nucleus - Marketing and Design Newsletter
Managing your online reputation - Part 2
Last month we talked about tools available to help you manage your online reputation. This month, we want to talk about actions to take that will help you better guide the conversation.
As businesses, our reputation management strategies should be both reactive (acting in response to a trigger on the web or offline) and proactive (creating opportunities for conversation and interaction with customers). Adding a few new conversation starters to our toolkit can go a long way in directing conversation.
Avoid harsh responses to online criticism
Though it can be tempting to lash out at unfair or inaccurate complaints about your company, the old adage "you'll catch more flies with honey than you will with vinegar" holds true in this situation. If a complaint needs to be addressed, try to contact the poster in a non-public arena to see if the situation can be resolved.
Be proactive about getting positive online buzz
As we know, people are far more likely to spread the word about negative experiences than positive ones. Asking clients with whom we have a good relationship to leave positive feedback in the places we are listed online is a good first step to take to in making sure our positive qualities are visible in online searches.
Start a corporate blog
Many companies have a separate section on their website where leaders will discuss things going on in the company and request feedback. When disruption in service or product failures happen, many companies take to their blogs to explain that they understand there is a problem and give a general outline of how it will be handled. Blogs are also a place to discuss the things that happen at your company that you're proud of.
The most important thing to remember is that you have an online voice, just like your customers do. Use it and be engaging, don't be left out of the conversation.