Online brand reputation management is the need of the hour with more firms realizing the importance of their online presence. More people are active online using their smartphones to make purchases, browse products and services, and provide valuable feedback to help other customers judge the firms. Reputation, whether positive or negative, is sure to go viral resulting in enhanced growth or fast exit of companies.
Why brand reputation management a Gamble ?
Every move counts, whether you have resolved your customers’ issue effectively or brushed aside the issue with contempt! You might have promised big things to the customer, but delivered a poor quality product and service, or no service at all as the sale was over. Some of these branding facts may help you understand the urgency of the situation.
Are you building trust?
As per Nielsen’s 2014 Global Reputation Study, a new population of tech savvy individuals is active online which assesses the reputation of firms before making a purchase. This is a huge percentage of individuals that can create a great impression about a brand’s web reputation. Having a brand name is not enough, you need to keep track of what your company believes in, it says, and does.
Digital presence for brand identity
Every move, whether it is a communication through email, white paper, or a social media campaign, creates an impression about your company. Now the question for every entrepreneur or a business is whether your online presence and web reputation contributes towards brand marketing? You cannot escape from the fact that customers are watching you round the clock and getting a picture of your brand identity.
Branding across barriers
Many B2B companies had ignored brand reputation management till now, but it is time to rethink about the strategy. Because more companies are fast realizing its importance and working towards brand building and brand awareness. The more clearly and responsibly firms define themselves, their products and services, higher will be the impact on the customers’ mind.
The keys to brand success are self-definition, transparency, authenticity, and accountability.
– Simon Mainwaring
Bad reputation leads to exit
Many firms want people to identify their brands either because they are trying for vertical integration or recovering from hitherto ignored public relations. In the latter case even though a firm may become successful in creating a fake image with the clients, but not walking the talk permanently damages its reputation.
A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.
– Seth Godin
Brand an old concept
If you think a brand is a recently developed concept, just think about your favorite cookies of childhood days. Unless that product has failed on quality, stopped making profit for the business, or sidelined by a better product you will still love them; a brand loyalty!
Brand marketing is all about you, your product, service, words, and company. Build your reputation and reap the benefits for years.