Reputation Management Plan online

The Internet and, especially, social networks have brought great advantages to traditional trade. Now you have the possibility to sell around the world, to have a closer deal with your customers, to respond to their doubts in an almost immediate way... but what happens when the comments are not positive, when the customers are unhappy, when a unfortunate message is sent? Unfortunately that also reaches a wide audience and often faster than good news, creating a bad image of your online brand. It doesn't matter if you have an active presence or not on the internet because users are there and you can't help them talk about you.

The online reputation exists and you decide whether you want to create it or leave it in the hands of others.

If you think you can't get through and a single negative comment can't hurt you, you're wrong. No one is free of opinions and, therefore, to know how to act in critical situations and how to improve the image your business customers have is necessary to have a online reputation plan.

But what is the brand reputation?

Reputation is the union of three factors according to Bertrand Cesvet:

• Who are you?

• Who do you say you are?

• Who says the people you are?

As long as the answer to these three questions is the same there will be no problem, but just a second for this to change and be prepared to know how to act will be the difference between a overcome crisis and a depressed company.

How is an online reputation plan developed?

As any type of marketing strategy is planned, anticipating a crisis in order to act in a controlled manner should also be indispensable. To this end, in a digital reputation plan it has to be in line with the communication plan, there is coherence between the two.
To have your reputation under control you must take into account several aspects:

1. Anticipation: Being prepared for a crisis is the best way to address it. To do this, the best thing is to control your online reputation by monitoring who talks about you, where and how. Taking into account all that information will help you make decisions and make small changes that may end the danger even before you untie.
2. Provision: Thinking about the different crisis situations that can be given in your company and how you could face them will help establish a response pattern. This way you can test your tools and know if you have to take steps to improve them.
3. Crisis management team: In case a problem arises, who will take care of it? It is important, regardless of the size of your company, that there is a person who acts as a spokesman and knows what to say and how at every moment. It will also be of great help to create answers to different criticisms. This will help you know how to act and reduce response time.
4. Identification: If the crisis is already here it is time to act. If it is a critique, consider whether it is justified and where it comes from, if other users agree and the scope of it. It is important to act in a hasty way or eliminate the negative comment in particular without providing a weighty reason such as lack of respect, the use of malicious words, etc. You should also face, not hide information, be empathic with your customers and offer a solution.
5. Analysis: Investigating the cause of the crisis and solving it effectively will prevent a relapse and your online reputation is left by the soils. It is important that you perform quality controls, listen to the opinions of your customers and remain vigilant about any change.

Don't wait until it's too late and start working to make your brand image on the internet unblemished