How much time do you spend every day managing your brand’s online reputation?
If you are anything like any other marketer with a myriad of tasks on your hand, you probably let your online reputation work slide. And that’s not good at all.
According to a Nielsen study, 54% of consumers decided not to do business with a company based on the information they learned about the way the company handled customer service, products, delivery and so on.
This may sound a little crazy, but here it goes…
Getting negative reviews is not always bad. In fact, they can actually help your business thrive and improve your reputation.
Really…
While you should strive to get good online reviews and increase your ratings, a nasty comment should not cause a panic attack. Contrary to popular belief, bad ratings will not immediately turn your customers away from your products and services. In fact, they are a great opportunity for your small business.
Like it or not, online reputation can have a huge impact on business and sales. According to a study by Bright Local, 88% of customers read comments and online reviews to find out if a local business is trustworthy.
No matter the size of your business, people are talking about you. They are leaving comments on your blog, tweeting about your products or posting a Facebook update about their interaction with your brand. Having a good reputation strategy and a proactive approach is vital to any business success.
It almost always catches small-business owners by surprise. Sometimes we get the inkling that something was off about a transaction, or we’re aware when we can’t manage to satisfy a difficult customer, but rarely do we expect the fallout. Damaging remarks may appear on a social media page, a blog comment, or a review website, and we’re instantly thrown into DEFCON 2. What’s a person to do when his reputation is at stake? Use these eight psychology-backed methods to overcome the emergency.
At some point, everyone has a bad comment written about them or has an image surface that may be less than flattering. Considering that 61% of people do research online before they make a purchase, there’s a good chance your customers are seeing the postings that paint you in a poor light, or maybe even a photo from college that doesn’t reflect the professional you’ve become. These kinds of things can kill the reputation of a small business, and cost you sales. Thankfully, there’s a way to reduce the impact they have on your business, and it’s free.