Managing your Online Reputation, Apple’s Siri, and Consumer Reviews- Part II

As a follow up to Part I of a recent post on Apple's Siri and the importance of reputation management, I want to share the various ways you can leverage consumer reviews to help your business—and tell you why you should be worried if you're not taking advantage already!

What you should already be doing with consumer reviews

• Claim your business on Twitter, Facebook, Google, Foursquare (or Gowalla), TripAdvisor and Yelp, and populate your page with photos and accurate hours and information—and be consistent. Besides becoming easier to find in searches, it also will help get rid of any duplicates that aren't you, avoiding brand confusion.
• Reward Loyal Customers to promote positive word of mouth, and improve your reputation. So you got a nice review on a social platform or a website...now what? Reward your fans! These people are taking the time to give you a shout-out, so why not make them feel special and say thanks? If someone gave you praise in person, would you offer them something for free? Say thanks? Name a product after them? The same etiquette applies online as it does in person.
• Develop a deal such as a Living Social, Groupon or Foursquare special to reward loyal customers and gain new business by getting people in the door. "First time" type specials and specials for Foursquare "mayors" who have visited many times are great ways to give back. It also helps to post a sticker or in your window that you're on Foursquare, and are "check-in" friendly, so once people arrive, they know you want their feedback.
• Engage in the conversation on Facebook, TripAdvisor, blogs, etc. with thank yous and responses to any questions. If someone makes a negative comment that is inaccurate, provide accurate information in a friendly, nonjudgmental way that doesn't attack the reviewer. Remember the rule that your interactions should always mimic face-to-face: tell the person thanks for their concerns or review.

Why you should be worried if you don't do all of the above already

• Crisis monitoring is much easier when you have platforms such as review sites to research your client satisfaction. If you start seeing a pattern, or receive a complaint, the last thing you want to do is not communicate! Let your consumers know their input matters, and you'll make changes or review policies as needed. It's a great way to catch an issue early, and nip it in the bud before your business sees a downturn. Make sure that complaints are handled with grace and understanding. Inform any negative reviewers of the facts in a friendly and thankful tone. Even the haters need to feel you love them, too! They may change their mind about you, or at the very least, their remarks will lose credibility to others if you take the high road.
• Competition in the marketplace is another factor to consider. If your competitors are actively on review sites and apps like Urban Spoon, Yelp and Foursquare, and you aren't, your business will lose credibility, no matter how superior your services. Today's consumers are increasingly choosing businesses on their mobile devices—and they're more often selecting the best reviewed places. So ignoring these channels can seriously hurt your bottom line. No one wants to gamble on an unknown, so make sure you are doing all you can to get your consumers to be your advocates!

Contact us for information on how we can help you with reputation management through public relations.