subject: Ways To Create A Great Business Reputation Online - Strategies That Actually Help [print this page] A common expression heard on the internet is that your reputation is the only thing you have that matters. Fortunately, other things can work in your favor such as limited exposure and nothing horrendously bad about you. If anything negative takes place, then you may be able to make some positive changes. If you're relatively new to your web business, then you have to work on creating your reputation. Then you have to figure out how to manage your business, which will not be too difficult to do. Although it does not take much to build up online credibility, you will have to wait awhile, which will require patience on your part.
If your business website needs something more to make it look and be stronger, then do what needs to be done. The quality of your website is all the Internet buying public really has to judge your business by. Your design can be world class but crappy content will shoot it down in flames. Your website is your virtual store front. It is the first impression that reputations live and die by. It doesn't even have to be a full-sized site. Just take the time to make your business card the best one out there if this is what you decide to do. Your business reputation and website can't be seen as separate in the online business community. Missing the mark on this will cause your business to suffer.
Your reputation can also be enhanced by the newsletters that you put out in the e-mail marketing that you do. It is important that you make an e-mail list. If your business model supports it, get it done immediately!
Any e-mail list, for e-mail marketing that you do, can build relationships and brand you and your company quickly. Word-of-mouth advertising will go off the scale, in a positive way, if you create great content that impresses many people. You can certainly make this happen. It's something you should strive for as it will positively affect you and your company. In a metaphorical sense, this is a double-edged sword, which can either be very beneficial, or very detrimental to your reputation overall.
Only well known IMers have the ability to ignore fans and customers, and not hurt their business. Anyone that has done IM for any amount of time knows what we are talking about. Use the opposite approach, and actually contribute to and help your audience as much as you can.
It is actually very simple to be courteous in reply to people. You might even want to call them. As you get bigger, and your business snowballs forward, it may be hard to respond in an appropriate manner. But until then, let people know you're there and listening by answering them when they contact you. You need to be aware of what is being said about you. This is one way to manage your business reputation online. More than likely, if you are not well known, there will not be any issues. You really need to dive right in if you find out that people are discussing you in depth. Getting well-known in the industry is just the beginning of developing your reputation online. By publishing content off of your site, and getting to know others in the market or industry, this can improve your business.
