Basic research. Management pitfalls

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Image is the face of the organization

How more famous brand, the more the product is in demand. What does popularity depend on? From consumer rating product, from the emotions and associations that arise in people’s minds when they hear the name of the company. These consumer judgments are directly related to public opinion of the firm. The more an organization adheres to the principles of honesty and openness in communicating with customers, the higher the level of user loyalty and, accordingly, the level of sales.

The essence of the concept

Reputation management is a set of strategic activities aimed at forming, supporting and protecting the company’s image. His the main task— creating the desired vision of the brand in the eyes of consumers and a stable positive opinion about it. This type of management consists of monitoring the information space around a product on the Internet, predicting all kinds of threats, correcting content, tracking negative reviews and their elimination.

Relevance of reputation management

As you know, almost the entire population of the globe is users of the World Wide Web and daily access its resources to find the necessary information. So it turns out that if an organization or a product has any shortcomings, problems, etc., a person finds out about it and, on occasion, gladly shares his opinion with his friends. This means that the formation of a product image occurs spontaneously and can receive a negative connotation. Fundamental in this case is the subjective perception of users.

To prevent such developments, reputation management is used. It gives an opportunity potential consumers discuss the company's proposals, while setting direction

A way to deal with negativity

It's no secret that in the race for market supremacy, any tool is used. And the so-called “black PR” on the part of rivals can greatly damage the company’s reputation and cause a negative impression of the product. This is done mainly in two ways: either the administration orders this work from a specialized specialist (special equipment and finances are needed to complete this task), or by ordering a series of bad reviews.

In this case, the only way to clear the name is to resort to reputation management tools. With their help, you can neutralize unwanted information, create and maintain constant communication with customers and, as a result, eliminate negative assessments from consumers. But it is better when this work is planned in advance, then it will give better results.

Better late than never

For Russia this type controls are quite new, whereas in others developed countries(USA, China, South Korea etc.) reputation management technologies have been used for a long time, which significantly increases company ratings. In Russia, they are treated as anti-crisis measures: when the image is already damaged, or interest in the organization has completely disappeared, then the services of specialists are ordered. And only in Lately All more companies starting their business from scratch, they use reputation management initially in order to immediately form the necessary image of the product among users and a loyal attitude towards it. By making honesty, trust and responsiveness the core principles of dealing with people, there is a greater chance of gaining a sustainable position in today's market.

Functions of activity

This type of control allows you to solve a number of specific problems, namely:

Stages

The company’s work to create a positive opinion takes place in several stages:

Analysis of the existing image of the company, internal and external attitudes of consumers towards the product. The development of a strategy and the quality of the results obtained depend on how accurate the assessment of the current state of affairs is.
Determining the main goals, selecting reputation management tools, compiling a list of targeted actions.
Execution of the drawn up plan.

Strategy implementation methods

When the tasks of the work are defined, and there is a clear understanding of the final result, the direct process of formation begins public opinion. It also has its own consistency.

The work of creating a brand reputation can be done by any employee who is familiar with the basics of reputation management. Only for this you need a clear strategy in order to understand what result needs to be achieved in the process of work.

Tools for creating an image on the Internet

Today the Internet is one of the most powerful forces of influence on people's consciousness. It reflects almost all aspects of human life. The content with which it is filled is created either purposefully or at the request of individual customers. In any case, it is widely used due to its availability. Therefore, conscious use of the World Wide Web can provide a high level of advertising activities companies. There are a number of possibilities for this, namely:

Social networks (the well-known Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Facebook, Twitter, and so on) allow you to maintain constant contact with potential buyers, track user ratings of the product and form the desired opinion about the product, as well as report on all the organization’s new products. In addition, these platforms allow clients to communicate with each other and share their opinions, while referring to specific sources.
Various blogs, forums, and review sites make it possible to provide people with the necessary information to form a loyal attitude towards the brand and consolidate it, as well as increase customer trust.
Internet media. Placing content on trusted sites with links to the source increases public interest in the proposal.
SEO optimization. In order for potential customers to become regular customers, it is necessary to take care of the ease of use of the site and its completeness, as well as that the user quickly finds the information he is interested in on the Internet.

The use of these reputation management tools gives good results only when there is a clear strategic plan, and they are used simultaneously.

Management pitfalls

In order to carry out quality reputation management, you can contact a specialized agency that will professionally perform this type of service. But if we are not talking about a large company that is ready to spend money on creating an image, but about a small company, then, as a rule, the responsibility for creating public opinion is entrusted to one of the employees, who does this at his own discretion. In this case, it is necessary to understand that if a person does not have a knowledge base, or rather does not know the tools of reputation management, does not know the specifics of sites on the Internet, as well as a number of significant nuances, his work will be fragmented. This means that the time and money spent will not bring the desired results. It should be taken into account that the performance of reputation management functions depends on the employee’s competence.

A guide to creating and maintaining a company's image

Good specialists are valued in any organization. But if their staff and finances are limited, and you want to carry out this type of management with good results, then you can learn from a textbook on reputation management. Unfortunately, there are few books on this topic. And those presented today for the reader reveal individual aspects of this process. Basically, these are individual articles or other works of authorship that talk about the essence, principles, tasks and/or tools of this activity.

The only one to date teaching aid, in which this concept is discussed deeply and systematically, is the book by L. S. Salnikova “Reputation Management. Modern approaches and technology." This is the first manual in Russia, which examines in detail and step by step all the steps to forming a company’s image, and presents new ways of working in this area. The positive aspect of the source is that it contains everything methodological basis are revealed in combination with practical material. The author shares the secrets of improving a company’s image, as she has worked as a reputation management consultant for a long time.

Those who decide to create public opinion can try their hand at completing the creative tasks presented in the book. It was on them that future managers honed their skills in building a good name for the organization at the University of the Russian Foreign Ministry. “Reputation Management” by L. S. Salnikova tells with vivid examples how to turn your business using the above tool into a profitable asset. The book contains a lot useful information for students, heads of organizations and people who promote goods online.

Any company, no matter what size it is or what resources it has, strives not only to make a profit, but also to have a good name and enjoy the respect and trust of people. Therefore, we can confidently say that it is reputation that promotes an organization on the Internet, and reputation management is the tool that will allow you to confidently occupy your niche in competitive environment, make the product branded and turn the company into a highly profitable asset.

According to Deloitte & Touche, 60% of users read reviews before purchasing. 80% will not order products from a company that has negative reviews. In order for customers to contact you and sales to grow, it is important to maintain a positive reputation.

But how to track reviews, since the Internet is so huge? How to react to negativity? What to do to get customers to leave positive feedback? Reputation management will help - managing your image on the Internet.

6 tasks of online reputation management

Correct positioning and increasing brand awareness on the Internet.
Negative management - search and timely reaction.
Attraction of new clients.
Retaining existing customers and building brand advocates.
Increased loyalty. According to Nielsen agencies, 62% of users trust reviews on the Internet.
Feedback with the audience.

Basic methods of online reputation management

On the one hand, we work with negativity and maintain a positive reputation, on the other hand, we find ways to further development brand. Negative comments help you correct mistakes and become better in the eyes of customers.

Monitoring information on the Internet

We look for mentions of the brand on sites where the target audience shares personal experience. Blogs, social networks, thematic forums, review sites, directories, maps are suitable. How to search? Using key queries: brand name (+ “reviews”, + “forum”, + “ratings”, etc.), slogan, address of the resource and stores, names of employees, names of products.

There are special systems that automatically collect and analyze mentions of a brand: Kribrum, Talkwalker, Google Alerts, YouScan, Mention.

Dealing with positive and neutral comments

Online reviews that improve your reputation are something to be grateful for. This will work to your advantage: a satisfied client will become even more loyal and, perhaps, turn into a brand advocate. You can simply say thank you, but it’s better to give a discount on your next purchase or another bonus.

Dealing with negative comments

WITH dissatisfied clients you need to be even more careful, otherwise you can anger them and completely ruin your reputation on the Internet. If the review contains reliable information, you need to find out the reason for the misunderstanding, listen and correct your mistakes, and thank the author and inform him that measures have already been taken.

If a review contains false information, you still shouldn’t blame the author - this will only make the situation worse. It's better to write a polite answer.

Dealing with slander

There are people who want to ruin your reputation and engage in black PR on the Internet. These are unfair competitors and former employees who harbor a grudge. They leave reviews that contain false information and discredit the brand name. We know 2 ways to combat slander:

Deleting a comment by a site moderator or through a lawyer.
Leveling out negativity with positive feedback. To collect them, they hold promotions - for example, they give discounts for comments. As a result, positive reviews crowd out negative ones.

Additional methods of reputation management

To more effectively build a positive reputation, we recommend using additional ones along with classic image management tools.

Crowd marketing

Reputation management by posting comments on the Internet in which the author recommends a specific company, or rather your brand. Comments are posted on platforms where the target audience is concentrated: under articles on blogs, on forums, in question-and-answer services and communities on social networks.

Crowd marketing is interaction with potential users who don’t know about you.

You can communicate on behalf of the brand. Do not impose services, but answer questions delicately and demonstrate professionalism.

You can also communicate on behalf of an ordinary user. They are more trusted than brand representatives.

Reputation management with SEO is the promotion of positive reviews in search engines Oh. The first thing users do is open pages that are in the top positions. So, if negative reviews are posted somewhere at the bottom, they may not reach them.

5 stages of reputation management

Audit - we select queries by which potential buyers are looking for information about the brand.
Analysis - look at search engine results for queries.
Working with responses - we respond to negativity, remove slander.
Selection of sites - we find sites where we can post positive reviews.
Additional tools- We find out which methods will work best and use them.

Who needs reputation management?

Anyone who wants to retain existing customers and attract new ones must manage their reputation. But it is important to remember that the services of a brand manager are not enough. No reputation management technology will help you build a positive reputation if you offer a bad product. First of all, you need to work on the quality of the product and service. And reputation management will help make the brand more recognizable and customers more loyal.

The article provides an analysis of some approaches to the traditional understanding of reputation, goodwill and reputation management. The need to form a positive reputation of the company in an environment of increasing competition is becoming more urgent. The practical and financial value of a positive reputation is considered, as well as some of the means that allow creating and maintaining a positive reputation of a company in the eyes of its target audiences. The author reveals the essence of reputation and reputation management within the framework of the methodology of phenomenological sociology of knowledge, proposes to understand reputation as a phenomenon of everyday life, as a self-evident knowledge about the advantages and (or) disadvantages of an object and reputation management as a process of constructing and maintaining a positive reputation of a person or organization as a social reality. The complexity of reputation management is explained as social activities directed at the Other. The possibility of reputation management in the habitualization of behavior patterns that contribute to maintaining a positive reputation in society is substantiated. The role of relevant structures and processes such as habitualization, externalization, objectification, internalization in the formation and maintenance of reputation is considered. Social networks are considered as the main mechanism for constructing a company’s reputation as social knowledge in the modern continuum.

reputation

reputation management

1. Goodwill is great. Daily business newspaper RBC No. 20 (2465) (1111) November 11, 2016 [ Electronic resource].Access mode: http://www.rbc.ru/newspaper/2016/11/11u.

2. Ivanov A.P., Bunina E.M. The company's business reputation as an intangible asset. // Finance. – 2005. – No. 6. – P. 71.

3. Business Empire // Internet resource digest. 2006. October 13. [Electronic resource]. Access mode: http://www.finmarket.ru/.

4. Kozlova N.P. Formation of a positive image and business reputation companies. // Bulletin of ASTU. Ser. Economy. – 2011. – No. 1. – P. 67–68.

5. Oleinik I., Lapshov A. Plus/minus reputation. – Samara: Publishing House“BAZRAKH-M”, 2003. – P. 40.

6. Smirnova N.M. From social metaphysics to the phenomenology of the natural attitude: phenomenological motives in modern social cognition. – M., 1997. – P. 222, P. 147.

7. Solomanidina T., Rezontov S., Novik V. Business reputation as one of the most important strategic advantages companies // Personnel management. – 2005. – No. 3. February. [Electronic resource]. Access mode: http://www.top-personal.ru/.

8. Schutz A. On Phenomenology and Social Relations. – 2010. – P. 100.

Boris Firsov, employee of the Mikhailov and Partners agency. Strategic Communications Management" as part of a round table discussion organized by news agency“Finmarket” said: “The paradox is that no one knows what reputation is, they constantly argue and discuss, despite the fact that some terms are written in dictionaries. But, nevertheless, as for business, on the subject of what reputation is and how to measure it, no one has come to a common understanding. But at the same time everyone says how incredibly important it is, how incredibly expensive it is.”

The well-known conflict between Rosneft and RBC related to the publication of information that harmed the company’s business reputation allowed us to find out how much reputational losses can be estimated at. Having analyzed the publications of RBC and the story of the RBC TV channel, experts suggested that the information presented in them could lead to an increase in “specific risks” of Rosneft. “Based on the analysis, we can conclude that the decrease in the value of the company, associated with the potential loss of the value of the company’s goodwill, associated with the potential loss of the largest counterparty, will amount to RUB 3.179 billion.” - says the conclusion signed by Kuschel.

Many specialists in the field of public relations offer their services in the field of reputation management, using a wide arsenal of tools related to building a targeted communication policy. Guy Khanov, CEO“Publicity PR” agency notes: “The main task of communication is to create the company’s reputation. Moreover, such a reputation is considered a real asset. What does real asset mean? This means that it brings additional value and can be assessed not only by costs, but also by value. Moreover, reputation is a more stable asset than property, because if something happens to the property of factories and factories, the owners cannot live in peace. And reputation can be a help.”

N.P. Kozlova, analyzing the practical and financial value of business reputation, identifies a number of advantages that a company with a positive reputation receives. Let us list those that we have no doubt about.

Business reputation provides additional psychological value to products and services; helps reduce the risk that consumers consciously take when purchasing goods or services; increases the satisfaction that the company's employees receive from work. In addition, a positive reputation helps attract more qualified workers to the company. A favorable reputation can increase the credibility of a firm's advertising, thereby increasing its effectiveness; promotes the popularity of new products. The company's good reputation gives it access to the highest quality professional services.

Companies with a positive reputation may have a chance to try again in the event of a crisis, says N.P. Kozlova and gives an example with the Johnson & Johnson company, after two cases of poisoning with the drug Tylenol were recorded, the company quickly returned to its previous level.

A good reputation can attract funds for stock market, increases the return on trading operations, and finally, is a guarantee of efficiency when the company enters into contracts with other business partners.

Main part. In our opinion, reputation should be considered as a phenomenon of everyday life, that is, using the language of the phenomenological sociology of knowledge, as self-evident knowledge about someone (a person) or something (a company), only in this case can reputation perform the functions assigned to it.

By reputation management we understand the process of constructing and maintaining a positive reputation of a person or organization as a social reality. The process is prolonged over time, its result significantly depends on the social stock of knowledge, on what values and attitudes are objectified in it, what typifications it is filled with and how they are transformed in connection with changes in the economic, political, social, cultural, and information environments.

A significant drawback of modern reputation management is, in our opinion, the focus on success “here and now”; this is due, first of all, to the customer’s expectations (and requirement) to feel the result immediately, and this result should be expressed in increased profits (increased goodwill). Concern about how a person or his business will look in the eyes of the public in the future (within the framework of long-term forecasting) is currently not updated, perhaps due to the complexity of design, the need to constantly make adjustments due to changes in the situation on the micro and (or ) macro level and poor predictability of project results.

The implementation of reputation management is significantly complicated by the fact that the activities associated with achieving the goals of reputation management are social, focused on the Other. In our case, the Other is all subjects of target audiences. The actions of a person or representatives of an organization aimed at establishing and maintaining a positive reputation may be interpreted inadequately by some representatives of target audiences, which makes it impossible in everyday life to idealize a single action (method) and, if successful, extrapolate it to all other target audiences.

In reputation management, situations of ambiguity often arise that require a process of selecting actions to maintain reputation anew. As N.M. writes Smirnov, the final choice consists of many small steps (step-by-step) of choice in an empirically problematic situation.

The reputation of someone or something will begin to influence the social reality associated with the activities of the subjects of target audiences, with their planning of certain actions in the future, if it has the characteristics of ordinary, everyday knowledge. The characteristics of everyday knowledge include: familiarity, certainty, consistency, plausibility, clarity.

It is clear that the efforts of reputation management should be aimed at ensuring these characteristics. The actions of a person or entities of an organization that maintain a positive reputation should be familiar to them. Only in this case will the objectification of signs associated with this activity lead to the construction of reputation as a social reality. It is the objectified reality that is the very “bad” or “good” reputation about a person or organization, which constitutes the essence of reputation.

For this reason, reputation management, by and large, should be reduced to instilling sustainable habits (habitualization) of those behavior patterns that would contribute to maintaining a positive reputation in society.

In this regard, the approach of A.P. Ivanov and E.M. Bunina, in which the authors highlight as the basis for the formation of a positive reputation of a company its information openness, disclosure of information about the results of work in the reporting period, directions and plans promising development, and methods of maintaining reputation are called development corporate culture and social responsibility, seem to us most adequate to the tasks of reputation management. An important element of maintaining business reputation, the authors write, is interaction (dialogue) with “stakeholders,” the public. The ways to influence these contact groups can be different: main activity; products/services produced; technologies used in production; business decisions and business strategy made by company management; participation in political activities, lobbying for bills, etc. .

A similar point of view can be seen in the article by T. Solomandina, S. Rezontov and V. Novik, where the key point of corporate reputation management is maintaining effective and constant public relations. The authors note that the formation of a company’s reputation is greatly facilitated by its publicity, for the creation of which they recommend holding various types of promotions designed for the appropriate target audience. Special emphasis is placed on charitable activities, patronage of the arts, sponsorship of conferences, seminars, forums, congresses, of course, such activities of the organization will contribute to publicity.

Events that may be of news interest: organization of visits to the enterprise by high government delegations, receptions of representatives government agencies authorities, foreign colleagues - are also good for publicity.

Conducting conferences, seminars, trainings, business schools, special events for representatives of target audiences; organization of professional clubs, the members of which are not only employees of the organization, but also clients; The publication of newspapers, company magazines, etc., according to the authors, contributes to the formation of a positive reputation of the company.

The authors classify building relationships based on trust and mutual respect with business partners, suppliers and consumers as other external methods of reputation management.

To manage reputation within an organization, the authors recommend developing a company mission and philosophy; create and implement corporate code behavior; pay attention to the formation of the image of the company's top officials and top management; develop the company management system from the standpoint of “ human capital", caring attitude towards employees.

Reputation management, according to I. Oleinik and A. Lapshov, should pay attention not only to the degree of positivity of reputation, but also to the degree of its significance. The relationship between the reputations of the same person in different audiences (or different people in the same audience), the authors believe, there may be relationships of dependence, coexistence or confrontation. “Therefore, in reputation management, it is extremely important to correctly predict the most likely transformations of reputation not only over time, but also during the “travel” (including during an organized escape) from one audience to another.”

Based on theses:

a) the body needs information as urgently as it needs food, water, sleep, etc.;

b) people’s need for events is a physiological element, the power of which increases with every decade; the authors argue that reputation is in demand by the consumer himself, so “it makes no sense to push it into the consumer if he does not want to use it.

At the same time, the authors propose, within the framework of reputation management, to focus on the “self-distribution” of a product that is thrown into the target audience in a targeted manner, and “not by bombing areas,” noting that an attempt to impose target audience an uninteresting reputation that does not evoke a lively reaction is as futile as an attempt to achieve self-propagation of a boring joke.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the authors consider the consumer of reputation as an object to whom this reputation is given, but it is necessary to take into account the measure and taste of the consumer in order to avoid the effects, as the authors write, of “undereating” and “overeating.” The formation of a reputation, in their opinion, is always built on dialogue, because it involves a conscious and relatively competent assessment of the audience, at the same time, noting “every person has as many reputations as people know him.”

In our opinion, some theses in this work may become a subject for controversy. Firstly: reputation is a correlate of the consciousness of subjects of society. It is impossible to “shove” it into the consumer simply because it is constructed in his mind. Secondly: the construction of reputation is carried out using the mechanism of internalization of all knowledge objectified in society regarding a person or organization (and not just those that are “thrown” by specialists into the target audience, even “pointwise”), which, with the externalization of already meaningful information and provided that it does not contradict the meanings externalized by most individuals, it can turn into a reputation. Thirdly: in reputation management, it seems to us, it makes sense to take into account not so much “taste” and “measure”, but rather the result of an analysis of the relevant structures of representatives of target audiences. That is, it is necessary to know the interests of the subjects of reputation management, because it is interest, as A. Schutz noted: “...organizes the world for me in areas of greater or lesser relevance.” The structure-forming factor of zones of relevance (of varying practical significance) are, first of all, pragmatic motives.

Research by phenomenologists points to the fact that relevant structures in groups with a similar biography may largely coincide; this gives us the right to talk about reputation as a social phenomenon and assume the possibility of reputation management. Probably, the authors’ thesis “every person has as many reputations as the number of people who know him” was inspired by the well-known saying “how many people, so many opinions.” It is worth remembering that the phenomenon of reputation does not refer to the opinion of each individual separately, but to objectified knowledge about the reputation of a person or organization, which has become everyday, general, although it was formed from the opinions of individuals in processes associated with externalization, objectification and internalization.

The main mechanism for the formation of objectified knowledge about a company’s reputation is currently the discussion of information about the organization on the Internet. As you know, Rospotrebsoyuz has launched an Internet portal that collects all information in the field of consumer protection. Information from the site is widely discussed in in social networks, such as “on Kontakte”, “Facebook”, “Odnoklassniki”, becomes, as they say in phenomenology, everyday.

The complexity of reputation management, like any social activity aimed at the Other, is obvious. The results of this activity may be delayed and have by-products that are not always of a desirable nature, from which it does not at all follow that reputation management is not worth doing or the time has not come.

1. Reputation should be considered as a phenomenon of everyday life, as a self-evident knowledge, including the following characteristics: familiarity, certainty, consistency, credibility, clarity.

2. Reputation management is the process of constructing and maintaining a positive reputation of a person or organization as a social reality, which comes down to instilling sustainable habits (habitualization) of those patterns of behavior that would contribute to maintaining a positive reputation in society.

3. The construction of reputation is carried out using the mechanism of internalization of all knowledge objectified in society regarding a person or organization (and not just those that are “thrown” by specialists into the target audience), which, when externalizing already meaningful information and provided that it does not contradict the meanings, externalized by most individuals, can turn into a reputation.

4. In reputation management, it is necessary to take into account the result of the analysis of relevant structures of representatives of target audiences. The structure-forming factor of zones of relevance (of varying practical significance) are, first of all, pragmatic motives.

5. Relevant structures in groups with a similar biography may largely coincide, which makes it possible to talk about reputation as a social phenomenon and assume the possibility of reputation management.

6. The main mechanism for the formation of objectified, everyday, taken-for-granted knowledge about reputation is currently the public discussion of information about an object on social networks.

Bibliographic link

Basic Research

Brand Reputation- this is a set of fixed judgments about him based on criteria that are significant for the target audience (honesty, responsibility, decency). Reputation requires an analytical approach when forming an opinion and is based on reliable knowledge and assessments. Most often, this is supported by the consumer’s own experience.

Reputation is a dynamic process in which strategic objectives of the company, designed for the long term. Reputation depends on how and by what methods it is done entrepreneurial activity companies. It reflects deep economic and social characteristics brand.

Why is reputation important?

Reputation is equally important for every socialized object - from a person to an international company.

According to research, more than 60% of investors consider a brand’s reputation as one of the main factors in determining its value. Reputation can provide 20 to 80% of the company's shareholder value, representing a real asset of the company. Reputation is slowly formed, but, unlike tangible assets, it is relatively stable and not subject to price fluctuations in the market.

Reputation is significant influences the effectiveness of sales of brand products. 87% of people who shop online are always interested in reviews about a company before purchasing a product. 73% of consumers are more likely to trust a company if the majority of reviews about it are positive. 80% of online shoppers cancel their order after reading a negative review about a brand. Reputation is sometimes called “credibility” - 62% of consumers believe that a company with a good reputation will not produce poor quality products.

At the same time, reputation is important for the company when hiring employees. Potential employees are always looking for information about their future employer. 67% of professionals refuse a job offer due to a bad job corporate reputation brand.

A company's good reputation helps attract new consumers and retain existing ones, increase investment and sales efficiency. Long term reputation supports the company when economic difficulties arise at the expense of loyal customers.

Brand reputation and image

Quite often, consumers and even brand managers equate the concepts of “image” and “reputation.” In fact, image is a component of reputation and has other prerequisites for its formation.

The consumer's acquaintance with the brand begins with interaction with the components of the corporate identity - this is a means of objective positioning. When these elements are perceived, an image is formed in a person’s mind - this is an ideal image that is created by a brand to create a certain impression about the company in the minds of the target audience. Thus, image is an artificially created opinion among a certain group of people. Its task is to create a positive brand image among the audience.

Unlike the image a reputation cannot be created - it need to earn. Reputation can be considered the response or reaction of the public to a company's policies. Reputation building occurs throughout the entire activity of the brand and works for long term perspective. If image depends on external characteristics, then reputation depends on a holistic perception of both internal and external qualities of the brand.

What is reputation management

To effectively manage brand reputation, we are developing reputation strategy. This program defines a set of measures to create a positive reputation and mechanisms for their implementation.

Who manages brand reputation?

Brand reputation management is carried out brand managers. A company may have its own or hired specialists who are engaged in developing a comprehensive strategy for building a reputation. The main ones should take part in the creation of a reputation strategy and its direct implementation. officials companies.

Brand Reputation Management Strategies

Building a reputation through top officials and top managers of the company

In many cases reputation of the company's leader is inextricably linked to brand reputation. A public leader commands respect as potential clients both consumers and partners and employees. A recognizable person inspires trust in the company, confidence in its professionalism and respect. Such a leader will serve as a strong motivation for other employees, who will also work to improve the brand’s reputation.

Read more about personal branding read our article.

A strong team as the basis for building a reputation

This aspect of reputation management is most important for those organizations that provide various expert services or technology solutions. For example, in branding agencyKoloro Several specialists are working on creating a brand - a project manager, a designer, a marketer, a copywriter. They are all responsible for different aspects of the work. Productivity and quality of work are supported by effective communication between all responsible employees.

Careful study of the company's mission and philosophy

A brand philosophy based on core virtues helps shape the image responsible, decent or honest company. Over time, if you reinforce your image with appropriate activities, it will turn into a positive brand reputation.

Emphasis on the company's strengths

The easiest way to manage reputation is through such brand advantages as quality(products or services). This effectively increases the loyalty of existing customers and attracts new ones. In addition, the quality is easy to check (by trying or having it analyzed) or tested (by ordering a service).

You can use it as a company advantage many years of experience in the provision of services and indicators successful implementation projects. A big plus in favor of building a positive reputation will be confirmation of the quality of work with certificates and participation in international competitions or exhibitions.

Financial stability can also be used as one of the components of a reputation strategy. This will help gain the trust of investors and partners, potential employees.

Corporate social responsibility of the company

It is important to take into account not only the interests of the company, but also society - from suppliers to ordinary workers. Careful attitude and concern of the company about its employees plays an important role in shaping the brand's reputation. By voluntarily taking responsibility for improving the quality of life of its employees and society as a whole, the brand gains additional advantages, especially against the backdrop of inactive competitors.

Better results can be achieved by simultaneously integrating at least two or three strategies in the company. Special attention should be paid corporate identity development, which is closely related to brand reputation. Specialists of the Koloro branding agency are developing a name, slogan, creating a logo and other elements corporate identity.

Reputation management technologies

To achieve the above strategies, the following technologies can and should be used.

Organization of special events and promotions

This is a powerful tool for attracting public attention. This includes organizing exhibitions, presentations, fairs, participating in conferences or seminars, competitions, and holding social events.

This helps to implement several reputation management strategies at once. A public leader who confidently talks about the benefits of a brand at a conference will attract new partners and clients. A strong team of employees represented at the competition will demonstrate the professionalism of the company.

Plays an important role carrying out social events- they best show the company's responsibility.

Every day, thousands of workers came from South Asia to Dubai to find work to support their families. The cost of a call abroad is $0.91/minute, while the average wage- $6/day. Workers were unable to regularly contact their families. In 2014, Coca-Cola launched a promotion HelloHappinessPhoneBooth. A special machine accepted caps from cola bottles (can cost $0.68) and provided 3 free minutes for calls abroad, allowing workers to save money.

Strengthening internal corporate relations

Patriotism of workers towards your company also helps to strengthen your reputation. The following activities will help you create a strong team:

association of employees for achieving one goal: formation of common values;
support high level of professionalism: employee development through trainings, seminars;
employee motivation and formation of corporate culture;
support favorable atmosphere for the work of all specialists;
understanding between employees;
implementation elementscorporate identity .

Business-to-business communications (B2B)

Interaction with partners should be based on integrity implementation of agreements and transparency cooperation goals. Strengthening reputation in the business environment depends on rational brand leaders and their thoughtful decisions.

Media Relations

Well-built press relations significantly influence the public's attitude towards the brand. From time to time it is worth holding press conferences, inviting several media representatives to them. Good relations with the press are not as important for building a positive reputation as they are for preventing negative press towards a company. Therefore, journalists should be provided with timely necessary information about the company's activities.

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