The Importance of Managing Your Business’s External Profile
Running a business entails being out in the public domain, searching for customers, and building a social profile for yourself and your brand. This can lead to positive coverage and feedback, but it can also attract negative criticisms, gossip, and rumors that can damage your business. The question is, how important is this kind of external coverage to your business, and what can you do to control or manage it?
No Business Exists in a Bubble
No business is an island, as much as you’d like it to be. In the world of business, you can’t expect to be free from analysis, negative criticisms, and harsh reviews. What you can do, however, is learn to take things on the chin and roll with the punches. You should ignore snipes that you don’t see as important, but take onboard valid negative criticisms and feedback.
Companies that Ignore PR Miss Out
Public relations (PR) matter. If your business doesn’t have someone managing its public profile, it will suffer as a result. PR officers have a tricky job, as they speak to people in the media who have a big influence. Having influence over the influencers is very important, and many businesses ignore the significance of this. If you don’t consider PR, you can miss out on favorable coverage and be hit hard by negative coverage.
Reviews Sway Opinions
When people write reviews of your products and services, people take notice. Negative reviews can discourage many potential customers from buying from your business. Not everyone reads reviews, but it would be foolish to think that no one listens to them. With the advent of online customer review platforms, reviewing has become more accessible. Therefore, using review management techniques, you can keep things in order and monitor the feedback on your business.
Media Coverage Can Boost Brand Awareness
When a popular website or a big media outlet offers coverage to your business, this can have a significant impact. People read what’s written, and your business can benefit. For example, when you send out press releases, you want media personnel to read them and write about them. This way, your business can reach more people and create brand awareness. However, not all publicity is good publicity. If your business is embroiled in a scandal, it may be covered in the media, and the process of putting out the fire has to start quickly. You have to manage the situation carefully and make sure it doesn’t escalate beyond control.
Gossip Can Damage Businesses
Business gossip or rumors can be a dangerous affair. It’s tough to control what people think about your business once something is said online, and the news spreads like wildfire. This kind of thing can damage your business’s reputation in ways you didn’t anticipate. You should have a clear strategy for dealing with any gossip campaigns against your business. Investing in a media monitoring service may be wise to keep track of what people say about your company online.
Conclusion
Managing your business’s external profile is essential in today’s digital world. You can’t assume that people will say only positive things about your business because public domain comments will come your way. You need to be aware of what people are saying and thinking about your company and take steps to manage it where necessary. It’s not a case of just hoping for the best – you have to be proactive and manage your public profile if you want your business to succeed.
In the end, taking a couple of hours in a week to oversee the feedback and commentary on your brand is a wise move. This way, you can address any issue that arises while keeping your business’s image appealing to customers who come across it.
