Using Social Media as a Business Reputation Manager

Be proactive, not reactive, on social media

Every business has a reputation to make – or uphold. Think of your business as a person. What would you want people to perceive about you when they meet you – or take a first look at your website? Your business reputation stems from your ranking, your clientele and most importantly, from your interaction with customers. It is here that most businesses make mistakes and lose credibility. Online social media today provides the perfect opportunity for businesses to curate their reputations, if they know how. Here’s a little bit about how you can start:

1 – Someone, somewhere, is always watching:

No, it’s not just God. You need to keep reminding yourself that when you’re commenting on behalf of your business, you’re representing your brand. Someone is always watching your moves. On social networks, every comment and “like” on behalf of your company’s page, adds to or subtracts from your brand’s reputation. Be careful about what groups you mingle with, what conversations you join, the language you use, the posts you like and so forth. Always be on your guard.

2 – Get over yourself:

Brands that gather a loyal following are brands that put their customers before everyone else. If you keep bragging about your brilliant products or out-of-this-world service, chances are, a lot of people won’t come back to listen to you. What customers want to know is how much you care about them. As a brand, always relate your brand with the audience. Think of ways in which you can both promote your brand and show your customers that you are there to serve them.

For example, Coke’s Happiness Refill campaign not only marketed the popular soda brand, but also tapped into its customers’ minds in an emotional way. Coke showed that it understood what its consumers want apart from soda.

3 – Let’s be honest:

As a business, you need to be honest with your customers, admit your mistakes and say “sorry” for your shortcomings. This may sound like the kind of advice you would give to your four-year old child, but being aloof will only distance your customers from you. Contrary to what brands are scared of, admitting to mistakes actually earn you extra points in the long run because your customers learn to trust your messages.

For example, Airtel India ran an ad apologising to its customers for bad service due to a fire. The ad reached out to its millions of customers in a warm way which comforted them that Airtel was doing everything in its power to avoid such incidents in the future.

4 – Less Whining:

Brands that complain about their customers or trash-talk their own employees are destined to ruin their reputations. Avoid commenting against your customers or complaining about the team that you work with. Your customers need to know that you are one unit as a business and that they can rely on you and your team to solve their problems. If you have problems within your own company, your customers can’t depend on you.

5 – More Give Than Take:

As a business, you will create an impression when you go beyond your set goals and responsibilities. Whether you’re a manufacturer or a service provider, think of ways in which you can give something extra to your clients. Put yourself in their shoes and consider what else your customers will want from you. Businesses that pre-empt their customers needs, always make an impact on their consumers’ minds.

For example, Google’s new initiative “Squared” aims to educate future digital advertisers and marketers. The initiative is in-line with Google’s strategies but goes beyond its core services.

6 – Improve Your Interactions:

When interacting with people, you need to realise the potential of each conversation. Being a good listener today will gain you loyal customers tomorrow. Look at each person as an asset to your company. Listen attentively to their complaints and demands and then try to offer solutions. When you join conversations on social media, try and stand out as the person who listens more than talks. The more you improve your interactions, the more benefits you will reap out of your customers.

7 – Use Your Own Products:

Some businesses advertise their product but don’t use it themselves. Make a rule to test out your products at least once on yourself. Marketing guru David Ogilvy rigorously followed this rule. If you don’t use your own products, you will never be able to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and understand their point-of-view. It also helps when you have to answer queries and give advice to your fans. You can be more open and frank if you’ve experienced your product yourself. If you haven’t, and your fans know more about your product than you do, it will show.

8 – Know How to Persuade:

Use persuasion as a tool to get what you want. If you want to garner more fans on your Facebook page, get more reach, more impressions, more likes or comments, you should learn the art of persuasion. Your fans should not feel that you are forcing their opinions.

9 – Be Graceful When Critiqued:

Marketing yourself on social media means you’re putting yourself “out there”, open to all kinds of criticism. Where social media gives you a bigger and more receptive audience, it means you should also be prepared for their reactions. Brands who handle critique gracefully immediately gain the respect of their customers. You should know when to apologise, when to suggest an alternative, how to clarify your position and be proactive.

10 – Inspire Yourself and Others:

Be inspired. When you’re inspired, you tend to rub off some of it on the people you interact with, physically or virtually. It is a great way of creating a bond between you and your customers, specially if your inspiration is universal and your customers can relate to it. Studies have shown that after interacting with powerful people, other people have felt empowered temporarily. If you can inspire that feeling in your customers, they’ll keep coming back to you for sure.

For example, for TEDxBeunosAires, Ogilvy and Mather came up with this John Lennon ad for promotion. They also created one with Martin Luther King Jr. These ads exhibit the kind of content attendees can expect from that TEDx and also portray where TEDx derives its own inspirations from. They create an impact because we can relate to these legends.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, handle your business like you would handle yourself in public – be conscious of every interaction, generous in spirit and inspiring in nature. Social media allows you to portray your business in a personal way. Use it to get closer to your customers who are waiting to see the human side of your brand.