Small Business & Video Marketing » Reputation Management

Who Has a Longer Memory - an Elephant or the Internet?

Apr 262011

Did You Know that Elephants are More Intelligent than Humans?

Yup, that is what the scientists tell us.

The elephant brain is denser than the human’s, and the temporal lobes, associated with memory, are more developed than in humans. Elephant’s lobes also have more foldings, so that they can store more information. That’s why elephants have excellent memory.” (source). So here is the question, what has a better memory, the elephant or the Internet?

This post is actually following up on a comment by Rick Lelchuk about personal responsibility and how the onus of this responsibility falls on the individual. He used the memory of the Internet as an example, meaning if someone uses bad judgment once and blurts out something online without thinking of the long and far-reaching consequences of this action, it will haunt them for a very long time – because the Internet remembers.

I have heard of many specific examples where people are suffering from these unwanted consequences of “bad” Internet behavior – some not even by choice. One woman in particular was mentioned in an article about a scandalous case when she actually had nothing to do with the case; she came on the scene after the incident. This is actually not an example of personal responsibility, as she had nothing to do with it, but it is a good example of the very long memory of the Internet. Her name still appears on the first page in Google, and although it doesn’t say anything negative about her, we all know about “guilt by association”. Couple that with the fact that many people don’t read beyond the first paragraph or so and tend to make judgments based on perhaps only half of the facts. How many times have you heard someone say, “I read a review about such-and-such and it proves the product (or service) is crappy’, yet if you check out the same review, you might often find the second, third, fourth, etc. reviews are actually positive?

Take another example of someone losing their cool online and acting unprofessionally – as we have all seen. This person’s comment will be showing up in Google for a lot longer than he or she will appreciate – no doubt. There are reputation management companies out there specifically for the purposes of managing and/or helping re-build business’ reputation. Have you seen examples of people saying something online that has left its mark on their reputation? No names please

How to Improve Your Customer Service - A Novel Idea

2 Responses »

Dec 072010

Talk to Your Customers

Seems simple enough doesn't it? Yet how many small business owners don't actually speak with their customers directly? How many have either an automated response system in place to address problems/issues, or have a staff member get in touch with a disgruntled customer?

Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What would have a greater impact on your perception of a company – an automated email response or a direct message from the business owner showing concern for not only addressing your problem/issue, but offering a suggested resolution?

The business world today is one of competition levels beyond anywhere they have ever been and so many industries are completely saturated. Everyone is trying to sell us on the latest, the greatest, and the best "whatever". Everyone's product or service is THE only one you should purchase. What happens to a population of people who are bombarded daily with SO many marketing messages resulting in serious information overload?

They stop listening!

Most marketing messages are not even being heard because they are falling on deaf ears!

What can you do to prevent your brand's message from disappearing in the black hole of messaging?

Start by paying attention to the customers you already have. Did you know that it costs 5 times as much to acquire a new customer than either upsell or get repeat business from a current one? You need to pay careful attention to your customer service status to ensure that your customers are happy, that they become repeat customers, and that they refer your brand to others. This is part of your reputation management. Keep them happy and they will come back again.

You need to be a little different, a lot more compelling, and need to have an edge over your competitors. How can you do that?

You have to start by thinking outside of the box. Thinks of ways to make YOUR brand message and YOUR customer service stand out.

I have written before about video emails and how they can really increase your brand messaging power, but recently came across another use for video emails that I hadn't thought of.

Consider the following scenario:

You, as a customer, are having a problem/issue with a company you are dealing with. How impressed would you be to receive a PERSONAL response/apology/problem resolution from the owner of the company in your email inbox? I had one of those "Aha" moments when I saw this in practice.

Take a look at the following example by clicking on the image below and see one way you can improve your customer service and enhance your reputation with video emails.

What are some of the things you are doing to make your brand stand out?

How are they working?

Inquiring minds want to know

Did You Make Someone Feel Special Today?

11 Responses »

Nov 052010

Do You Appreciate Your Customers? How Do They Know That?

I am always touting the benefits of customer satisfaction/service, reputation management, and relationship building because I truly believe in their importance in business and life in general.

We live in a crazy world today with most markets saturated and serious information overload and oftentimes find ourselves running around like chickens without heads trying to keep up online, offline, wherever. This is why sometimes even the simplest gesture from someone reminding us that we are actually "here" can make a world of difference.

My doorbell rang today and when I opened it I saw a box by the door. Everyone is in such a hurry these days that even the postman doesn't wait until doors are answered before running off to his next stop. I didn't order anything and neither did my boyfriend so our first reaction was "another delivery to the wrong address". Just last week I had to wear my postman hat and deliver a package to the RIGHT person down the street as the mailman left THEIR package at MY door. I love doing other people's jobs for them – not!
No problem though – I have nothing else to do right? Wrong! LOL

So, we look at the package and it says it is from EzineArticles. My first thoughts were "Oh no, did I for some reason give them my credit card and inadvertently order something?” Nope I know I didn't do that. My next thought was "Are they pulling one of those stunts where they send you something and you have to send it back if you are not interested in continuing to receive more?" As you can see I am not very trusting – but then again – aren't most of us skeptical these days? My boyfriend was holding the package in his hands, mentioned that it was heavy, and asked if he should open it. I don't know what we expected but in hindsight I realize how ludicrous we were behaving – almost like we were afraid to open it!

Inside the box was a lovely mug and coaster with a card that said "Congratulations! You're now an EzineArticles Platinum Level Expert Author!” Now I am sure you are a like me and have SO many mugs already that they don't all fit into your kitchen cabinet so the mug itself isn't what made the difference. I am also not naive enough to believe that I am the ONLY one who received such a gift; I am sure there are tens of thousands of EzineArticle Experts and recipients of the very same card and gift. HOWEVER, this little effort from EzineArticles to ME made me feel "special" and appreciated. Way to go EzineArticles!

You can be sure that when I am deciding where to submit my future articles, I won't forget about EzineArticles.

Social Media Marketing is a Waste of Time for Professional Services Firms

17 Responses »

Oct 052010

Social media is an area of business that is wrought with conflicting opinions. Some say that it is an essential marketing strategy for all businesses. Some say it is a total waste of time and not right for their industry. And then there are those who have the right idea – the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

The reality is, like it or not, social media is here and it is here to stay. The challenge for any business in any niche becomes finding the right channels for your particular industry and your particular business-specific situation.

Those who are anti-social media consider it to be a waste of time, not easily measured in terms of ROI, and perhaps see it as just a passing fad. Some of this type of thinking could be because many business people are intimidated by the idea of social media either because they don’t fully understand it or perhaps they are from the old school marketing mentality. Marketing today should consist of a well-integrated mix of many different marketing channels including the Internet. In order to be successful today, business owners must adapt to the changing business world to achieve and maintain a competitive edge.

Social media is a set of tools – it is not a means to an end. It is the tool-set professional services firms (and others) use to:

Build awareness
Gain exposure
Engage in conversations
Build relationships
Inform, educate and/or influence
Establish industry leader status

If looked at in this light, professional service providers will see that the role of social media is indeed important and valuable to getting more clients. Did you know that Corporate Counsels read blogs? Well they do and you can read about some interesting statistics on Corporate Counsel Read Blogs? Who Knew?? The article states:

“Nearly 70 percent of respondents aged 30 to 39 expect their consumption of business and legal industry news through social media platforms to increase within the next six months.”

This article also discusses an increased use of Facebook amongst younger counsel (30-39 year olds) which is interesting in that Facebook tends to merge personal and professional lives together as opposed to a site like Linkedin which is completely professional. It will be interesting to see how the increased use of Facebook works out for professional services groups, as this author, is a little wary of mixing business with personal information.

With the jury still out about social networking on personal sites like Facebook, there is no doubt that blogs and industry forums provide a highly visible online means for professional service companies to:

Increase their online presence
Establish themselves as an industry expert
Build and maintain relationships
Increase brand visibility
Distinguish themselves from their competition
Build their reputation by letting potential clients SEE their expertise rather than simply hearing about it
Establish themselves as an industry thought leader

Keep in mind that the more visible your professional services firm is, the more likely you will able to benefit from cross-selling opportunities. If you are a law firm providing entity formation services for a client, it is not unreasonable to assume that this same client might not be aware of other legal services your firm offers.

If you consider social media as channels of communication, you will realize that utilizing these channels to inform, engage, interact and influence your target audience will eventually translate into a higher conversion rate and increased profits. Connect rather than collect. Build relationships and nurture them. People like to do business with people they know and professional services firms are no different. Introduce yourself to your target market via social media channels, engage them in conversations through meaningful interactions, and let them see for themselves what you are all about. Share your knowledge with your potential clients. This knowledge doesn’t necessarily have to be your own original content. Sharing others’ knowledge (with the credit given where it is due) will only help your reputation and others’ perception of you as a provider of knowledge, valuable information, and someone they will want to do business with.

Don't Underestimate the Power of Relationships Revisited

9 Responses »

Aug 282010

Don't Underestimate the Value of a Relationship

8 Responses »

Aug 272010

As consumers we are continually bombarded by ads, emails, mailers, and phone calls about the latest and greatest. How do we decide which ones to pay attention to and which ones to ignore?

In the same vein, how can the small business owner expect his/her marketing message and value proposition to stand out amongst the masses? The answer lies in using effective marketing techniques and differentiators in order to be as unique as possible. The higher the competition of a particular industry, the more difficult this becomes. One would be hard pressed to find many industries that are not saturated these days, unless it is a very unique and highly targeted business.

In addition to using creative and innovative messaging, small business owners should keep in mind the value of the relationships they build. The Internet and the use of social media have created a totally transparent society in that what one does and says is more often than not, broadcasted across the World Wide Web – especially if it is something negative. As the old adage states: “Bad news travels fast”. Reputation management has become an increasingly important area of concern for business owners – as it should be.

It is pretty much accepted by all that people like to do business with people they know. Think about it. How often do you ask people you know to refer you to a doctor, hair dresser, painter, or landscaper? How often do you hire someone to perform a service you need because you either know that person or know someone else who knows that person?

So, in the end, who gets the business? The person you know – either directly or through someone else. If you ask many self-employed folk how they found their first customers, you will find that most of them are from people they know.

Even in a world where technology is advancing at a rate close to the speed of light, basic principles of human nature and business prevail. Reputation and relationships matter.

Keeping up with the Social Media Revolution

No Responses »

Jul 292010

Unless you have been living in a cave, you have heard of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. But have you realized how strong the impact these sites and others are having on the marketing, advertising, PR and communications functions of your small business?

Marketing has been turned upside down from one based on traditional methods to a reputation and consumer-driven perspective. Consumers are relying more and more on what others say about your brand rather than what you tell them. Purchase decisions are made based on perceptions from others who have a strong influence on the decision-maker. One unhappy customer's story can spread like wild fire over the many available Internet communication channels. Because of this trend towards empowered consumers, companies are compelled to give special attention to their reputation and customer service.

Traditional marketing focused on getting your message out to the masses as often as possible relying on repetition as a key in influencing consumer decision making. While this is still important, it is superseded by a brand's quality of engagement, perceived value and level of trust.

Perceived value is an extremely important part of this new age of social media influence. In social media marketing, freebies have become the norm. The onus of creating this perceived value is on the small business owner to give things or information away for free in an effort to build relationships, provide value, and prove that he or she is an expert in their specific field.

In addition, response time has taken on a whole new level of importance. Gone are the days of getting back to an unhappy customer when you have the chance. While you are tending to other pressing business matters, a disgruntled customer may be sharing a perceived negative experience with your company by sending out a tweet, posting a blog article or writing on a forum site. As a small business owner, you no longer have the luxury of waiting to respond to a complaint – you need to act quickly to manage your reputation and tend to any negative publicity you might be faced with in the world of social networking.

Even in light of the changes in the business world today, this is not to say that traditional marketing methods are no longer effective. What it does mean is that the power of social media, both the positive and the negative, is a force to be reckoned with and should not be ignored by any business owner. Knowing the influence your reputation, customer service and perceived value has will put you in the driver’s seat when it comes to marketing your small business.

Capitalize on the positives and manage the negative effects of social media marketing to position your brand in the most favorable light.

How to React to Nasty Comments on Social Sites

6 Responses »

Jul 222010

People come in all different sizes and shapes. They also come with different levels of maturity, professionalism and tact. As a matter of fact, some people have NO tact, are totally unprofessional and have no problem broadcasting their character on the social web.

So what do you do when you meet up with such a person on a social networking site? Well, that depends. If you want to be viewed by others as immature and unprofessional then you can respond in like to their comments. However, if you would like to maintain a level of professionalism, that would not be a good idea.

The first thing to do is sit back, take a deep breath and DON'T write anything immediately. If you do, your response will more than likely fall in the category of a "reaction" which is emotionally-based and not thought-out. If you are a small business owner, remember that anything you "say" on the social web is a reflection of your brand and your reputation.

I prefer to take the high road and behave in a professional manner – which is what I just did when faced very recently with a really nasty comment on a social networking site. This particular person attacked my character because she didn’t agree with what I wrote or the video I posted. Will this person come back at me with both barrels? Perhaps – only time will tell. But as long as I know that I am responding in what I refer to as a professional, mature manner, there is nothing else I can do. In life, we can’t control what others do or how they behave; we can only control our own behaviors and reactions.

Have you been faced with a similar situation? How did you handle it?

In Business, Silence is NOT Golden

3 Responses »

Jun 262010

All simple concepts that don't take a lot of effort to do yet are so often underutilized. For the small business owner, this can be a costly mistake. If you own a local retail shop and your competitor a few blocks away has a staff that smiles at their customers, says "thank you" and is helpful compared to the grouchy faces and attitudes of your staff, who do you think is going to get more business? As a sales person, how much effort does it really take to pop a customer or prospective customer a quick note/email to say "thank you"? Are you guilty of the "Silent Transaction"? Read what Paul Castain has to say about why you shouldn't be here.