If image is everything, entrepreneurs have their work cut out for them in this Internet-first world. As soon as you publish a well-written blog on your website or Facebook page, a critic may step in to undermine it. The same goes for Twitter feeds and other social media platforms as well as old-fashioned media outlets. Establishing a solid brand identity and maintaining a positive reputation is challenging at a new company's launch, but there are ways to make sure you build a foolproof strategy. Here are ideas on doing it right.
Covering all the channels
Posting a press release announcing your company's debut online is not enough to let the community know about your business's arrival. In fact, a full offensive both online and offline should be in the offering when you want to make a new company's presence felt. Whether or not you are an active social network user, the process should include a widespread campaign across these platforms in addition to networking among your business contact.
A good place to start is an announcement to members of your LinkedIn network. LinkedIn offers a forum for entrepreneurs and thought leaders to discuss movements in the industry among people who are career-oriented. Your business needs a strong presence on less formal social media outlets as well. Every business — from gourmet pizza to specialized crafts — ought to have an ongoing dialogue with the public online on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
A business image for the long term
When establishing an identity for your business, think of the long-term implications of every post. The Internet does not allow things to disappear. Old sayings about "all publicity being good publicity" never anticipated the type of firestorm a negative viral sensation may cause. As you launch a website and social media pages, imagine the principles you establish blossoming over the course of 10 years. Claim your business listings on customer review sites so you have the credibility to respond to all feedback. Businesses can change elements of an identity over time, but the long-term strategy should be durable as well as promising.
Having a social media marketing team like Vionic (available in The UPS Store) manage Facebook and Twitter accounts to set and maintain a positive image for you takes the stress out of the equation and lets you ponder the big ideas for your company's future. At the end of the day, a reputation is only a reflection of your larger business model. Your company's foundation must be strong enough to support the publicity you send out to the world. Before publicizing a business for all to see, make sure you have your brand identity and overarching goals in place.
Managing a reputation when times get tough
There will be times when you find a reputation dinged, often through no fault of your own. The Internet has a way of magnifying negatives out of proportion. Once a negative story goes viral, it can be difficult to stop. Today's publicists and social media experts believe (as doctors do) that early detection is the key when it comes to negative publicity online. Fortunately, there are analytics designed to catch a wave of bad publicity so you have time to build a response. Always address it promptly instead of hiding from it.
Protecting your online reputation doesn't have to be a mysterious effort when in the hands of the right professionals. On top of responding to bad press and crafting an alternative for Web visitors to encounter, reputation experts can court the bloggers and brand advocates who guide conversations in the right direction. By posting your own positive content such as blog posts, helpful how-to videos, and testimonials, you can help balance any negative content online. Steering the conversation back to a fair place is not manipulation per se, but rather a way of controlling what can become lasting damage for a business when the Internet does its bidding.
Perception is everything, but you can manage perception by crafting a positive image for your business from the start. Use the modern tools at your disposal to get it right.
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