10 Golden Rules of Reputation Management

10 Golden Rules of Reputation Management

10 Golden Rules of Reputation Management

Tell the truth. A customer who discovers that you have lied disappears, never to return. If you lie to a journalist, the best you can hope for is for them never to mention you again. More likely, you will be publicly pilloried as a company which cannot be trusted.

Deliver. The easiest way to build and keep a good reputation is to promise a high-quality product or service and then to produce the goods consistently well.

Build up your goodwill bank. In times of crisis, your public will forgive a surprising amount if you have previously invested sufficiently in establishing a good reputation. All reputations are vulnerable, but the stronger your foundations, the tougher it is to knock you down.

Know your messages. Agree them, prioritise them, ensure that everybody knows them and be certain that they pervade every communication with the outside world.

Be led from the top. It is not enough that the most senior management are simply aware of your reputation management strategy and planning. Unless they buy into it completely and with conviction, it will not work.

Plan. Reputation management is both easier and more cost-effective if carried out in an organised fashion, according to a pre-determined strategy.

Plan - for the worst. The easiest way to turn a minor crisis into a major disaster is not to know how to handle it. In every area of your operation, ask what could happen that would be most damaging to your reputation. Then, plan for that worst case scenario (and any other less fatal but still damaging possibility).

Test, rehearse and revise. Test every area of your crisis plan thoroughly. Ensure that everyone knows what their role is and is comfortable in putting the plan into practice. Keep revising the plan in the light of your rehearsal findings until you know that it will work. Re-test and update the plan as frequently as is sensible, but never less than annually.

Own your crisis plan. Somebody has to be in charge and they have to be recognised and accepted as such from the outset. If the chief executive is unhappy to follow your lead, the worst time to find out is when your reputation depends upon their immediately following your guidance.

Know your limitations. If you are not an expert in reputation management, hire somebody who is. You would not entrust the company's financial or legal affairs to a well-meaning amateur and a damaged reputation will kill a company faster than any court battle or financial crisis.

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