Dissed Online? How to Fix Your Brand's Rep

Web sites where individuals trade kudos—and groans—about their consumer experiences are becoming increasingly popular. Some savvy shoppers wouldn't think of making a purchase without first checking in at Yelp or Epinions. In this empowered consumer climate, it is more important than ever that entrepreneurs build and maintain an excellent reputation. The rub, of course, is today's companies have less control than ever over their branding.

If one angry customer or disgruntled employee unleashes virulent, anonymous criticism about your company online—no matter how unjustified—it can be nearly impossible to erase, says Chris Rosica, president and chief executive officer of Rosica Strategic Public Relations in Paramus, N.J. "The Internet is like the wild Wild West and its contributors, some with questionable motives, can post what they want about a company, product, or service, allowing damaging postings to live on in search engines for long periods of time," Rosica says.

Employ a two-pronged approach to managing your company's reputation (BusinessWeek.com, 4/30/08). First, implement a program to deal with customer complaints and change your products and services based on customer feedback. Next, launch a strong offense by making sure your company has more positive messages on the Internet than negative ones.

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