Reputation management entails inspecting and rank tracking your brand’s services on the internet or otherwise. In a nutshell:

Your actions + What people say about you = Your reputation.

This can vary from being positive to be very damaging to your brand. It’s very important for you to have an active online, or on the ground, presence to constantly monitor, track and control the appearance of damaging reactions that can easily tarnish your brand’s name. You can use a tool like https://serpbook.com/blog/keyword-ranking-tracker/ to help you track your brand’s reputation.

If you have created a good reputation around your brand, you have to be proactive and not reactive. Banking your hopes on autopilot reputation management might badly hurt your business. Filtering Google search results in real-time is the only solution to maintaining a positive brand building online reputation.

The good thing about this is that you can easily do it yourself or you can hire highly trained managers. A good reputation can position your brand efficiently in the market place. Whether you run a small, medium or large enterprise, a good rank position in the marketplace means that your business is doing great.

Foundations to a Good Strategy

If a person searches your brand on Google and views positive comments around your brand name, you have a good reputation. But you may be in trouble if the Google search result is negative, as this can even mean insolvency of your establishment. However, you can always avoid negative feedback by building your strategies based on the following key foundation paths.

Interact well with customers

Replying to clients is a positive gesture for care. If you take your time to respond to queries, comments and complaints, then you are on the right path of maintaining a good reputation. Customers are there for you to interact with them, therefore addressing anything they have to say as soon as possible really matters.

Being on the lookout for stories making rounds on the internet concerning your brand is also a key factor. Being quick to reply to tweets, questions and Facebook comments is essential in building trust between you and your clients. Taking too long to reply to clients, on the other hand, will do the opposite.

Keep a close eye (monitoring)

Utilize apps like Google alert to keep you updated whenever your brand’s name is mentioned. Searching the web for your brand and products is a sure way of monitoring what others are saying about your brand. This also brings into focus the image being projected by clients on the web.

Publish Quality Media

Posting only promotional media or just advertising your brand can be boring to your clients. In any case, always try to post content that your fans will enjoy reading. Things like simple life hacks or generally anything that will be sure to help your customers. Posting relatable media will help you stand out among your competitors.

The above three fundamental steps are not enough to create a positive reputation for your brand. A lot of work has to be done in order to achieve the ultimate goal of being highly ranked with a few negative remarks concerning your brand and products.

Here are ten extra things you need to do to improve on the ground and online reputation strategy.

10 Guidelines for a Positive Reputation

i. Do what is expected of you

In the case of an online brand that you need to build a reputable presence, fulfilling your promise really matters. For example, if a customer requests you to send them a link, please send the link.

You as a person may have been in a situation where a person promised to do something and never lived up to it. You know how to let down you feel whenever a promise is never fulfilled. Why then not be that person that lives up to what they say.

If you continually do this, you are building great trust between you and your client, and they will always hold you with great regard for steadiness.

ii. Help others achieve their target

Being self-centred really hurts your reputation. A great reputation goes beyond the growth and advancement of your own brand. To be safe in an environment such as e-commerce, and fostering a mindset of helping others is a great step forward.

Being a person who easily helps others strongly builds on your reputation, and creates an impression of being reliable. Did your customers ask for a favour? Be glad to help. Did you meet a person who wants a business deal, be there for that person and guide them on what they should do?

On the ground be a person who is keen to lend a helping hand. In case you have a coworker that needs to leave early due to unavoidable circumstances, be there to cover for them. On the other hand, if your venture is online, post motivational quotes, and simple life hacks to break the monotony of promotional content.

iii. Likeability counts

Being a charm as you interact with people really boosts your reputation. On the ground, smile more, be confident when approaching strangers, and wish them good luck or congratulations. This has a direct correlation with your reputation.

Small things such as being polite will make you likeable whether online or on the ground. However, you should never attempt being fake. Being false about who you are just for the sake of being likeable is very damaging in the long run.

iiii. Do the unexpected

Being unexpected goes a long way into making you stand out amongst your competitors. For examples, if you promised a sale to be 15% off, make it 20% off. Did you promise to get back to a client in 12 hours? Please get back in 6 hours. These small gestures are a sure way to spike your reputation in any selling space.

v. Look the part

First impressions count in building a reputation. This is a simple fact that is more often than not undervalued. Dressing to the occasion, and properly grooming your hair are ways to neatly present yourself.

However, that been said, it is never appropriate to overdo anything. Being too casual or applying too much make up for the ladies might be distracting. A moderate dressing is a sure way to impress a potential client when conducting business on the ground. Never let your first impression ruin your reputation.

vi. Body language matters

Your body language is very vital in building a good reputation. Always face your audience as you address them, simple head nods to indicate agreement are also necessary. Smile to clients and maintain a tall stance for your chance to stand out.

If you are not well versed with body language, you can check online for experts. There exists a wide variety of sources on the web that can help improve your body language.

vii. Consistency is key

It’s a common thing that people tend to share negative experiences more than they would share positive ones. And for your concern, the negative experiences may spread quickly, therefore, damaging your reputation.

So what should you do? You should always face clients with the same tone and qualities regardless of the type of mood you are in. This will be sure to see you remain reputable.

viii. Act with integrity

Lack of integrity in any business dealing is the foundation of a downfall. Always treat people with integrity. If you never buy the products that you are selling, why bother selling them?

Minor deeds of selfishness, rudeness and greed will definitely work against the reputation of your business establishment.

ix. Engagement with community

Through engagement with your community whether large or small is a positive sign that you are reliable. Giving back to the community, and doing small charitable acts are ways in which you should engage with your community.

x. Make others look good

In a position where you have the power to either tarnish or make others look good, always choose the later. If you make others look good, they will be indebted to also make you look good.

Follow the above-highlighted points for you are on ground and online brand reputation.