It is obvious to all of us that maintaining a good corporate reputation is important, but do we really understand what this means? Or, what do we mean by “good”? When done correctly, corporate reputation management should do two things:
Identify your company and brand with an idea or concept.
Set expectations for your future behavior and actions.
If we talk about well-known companies, Rolex for example, we immediately think of a reputation for luxury and quality. Or in the case of Amazon, you think of a reputation for being able to find whatever you need and have it delivered the next day.
Through these two examples, we know what these companies stand for afghanistan telemarketing data and have seen them consistently perform under those expectations. This tells us that perhaps, effectively managing your corporate reputation is simpler than you thought, as both examples above have not earned their reputations due to a lavish PR and advertising campaign (although that surely played a part) but rather have earned that reputation by consistently doing what they said they would do.
This gives you a lot of flexibility in your own corporate reputation management – you just need to decide what your company stands for and make sure you stick to it.
Why is it important?
Brand perception is influencing more and more shoppers, and as brands have entered the world of social media and online reviews, a good (or bad) reputation can make or break a company. Simply put, customers always have an opinion, and if you have a bad reputation, they'll move on very easily (and we all love a good story about a public reputation falling from grace, don't we?).
On the other hand, good corporate reputation management can:
Increase sales
Strengthening customer loyalty
Attracting quality talents
Increase the commercial value of the company
Open up business opportunities that you might not otherwise be able to access
You should definitely view your corporate reputation as a resource; the perception that customers have about your company is vitally important for them to trust you.
So, what are the steps to follow to have an effective management of corporate reputation?
Step 1 – Decide what your company stands for
We've already mentioned this above and we can't stress enough how vitally important it is to get the first step right. If you don't know what you stand for, you can't begin to manage your corporate reputation.
Your marketing and product development efforts will be misdirected, customers won't know what to expect from you, and you'll eventually start to lose your customers' trust.
When a customer has a different experience every time they buy from you, you'll start to give the impression that you're simply not interested in them and that you stand for absolutely nothing.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that a good reputation is only about good quality products and high prices, remember, you decide what you want to represent, and as long as you do it consistently, you will begin to build your reputation.
Some examples you could follow are:
Be known for your amazing customer service – customers will come to you expecting every interaction to be great.
Develop a reputation for being the cheapest and the fastest – This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, we all need something easy and cheap from time to time, so why not be known for being the best in that area?
Target a single niche product and be the best at it – you may not have the biggest market around, but you will have a reputation for being the best in the business.
You could aim to be the most innovative business in the area. With a reputation for having the most interesting ideas and products, you'll have your customers wondering, what are you going to do next?
Or maybe you want to be a local source for a certain product, or the best manufacturer of a unique product in your region.
Whatever option you choose, make sure it’s clear and easy to understand and your brand will begin to build its reputation naturally. We’ve gone into more detail here about how to build your brand (and in turn your reputation) but what you stand for should always drive your reputation management.
Step 2 – Manage your message and be consistent
Once you know what you stand for, make sure this message is consistently present across all platforms, as most reputation management is currently done online. This includes;
First and foremost, let your staff know what you stand for – They will be the face of your reputation and they should be clear in the message they are selling. This message should come from the top down and should be well defined. All staff should know that “We stand for X and we will achieve Y!”
Make sure you are consistent across all your social media channels – Again, you should be delivering the same message across all mediums with a consistent tone and style.
Create consistent content as part of a marketing strategy that supports your reputation.
Keep your message simple – You should build your reputation on something clear and easy for people to remember, but don’t forget that it should make sense.
Be authentic – Never try to copy your competition, instead talk about your own reputation and what makes you stand out from the rest.
The more you can promote a clear and consistent message (and of course, prove that you are capable of doing what you say) the stronger your reputation becomes in people's minds.
Step 3 – Collect feedback
Collecting feedback is also vital for reputation management, and in many cases, feedback is your reputation. Your customers are the ones who can tell you whether or not you have a good reputation.
Online reviews are the public display of your reputation. Reviews, social media comments, forum discussions, and search results are the first impression new customers will have of your reputation. For this reason, it is vitally important to collect (and act on) these
