Reputation management, in its simplest form, is how people see you or what they think of you. It is the peak of several multifaceted branding strategies, interactions, media, communications, experiences, and relationships all boiled down into a very clear and very authentic estimation of you. It is often seen as new age, easy or smooth, especially in the business world.
Today the public has become disenfranchised. Millennials and Gen X-ers, especially, have lost trust in business structures and messages. They are dependent on word of mouth, social communities, suggestions from people they have faith in, and sturdy linkages. The individual is now more significant than the group. What people think about you is now more significant than who you belong to.
American Internet entrepreneur and privacy advocate Michael Fertik said, “In reputation management, if you don’t have people coming to you on a regular basis, if they aren’t going to you regularly, if opportunities aren’t knocking down your door, then you are doing something wrong.”
That’s the cost of doing nothing and what poor brand management brings. It can amount to tremendous losses in status and cash.
Larry Linne and Patrick Sitkins, in their book Brand Aid: Taking Control of Your Reputation — Before Everyone Else Does, provide help on how to develop and manage your brand reputation. As they say, “You can’t fully control how others see you, but perhaps you don’t even try. That is, you don’t take a moment to think about how you want to be perceived, and then take a few steps to bolster that impression with purposeful action.”
Linne and Sitkins share these hands-on strategies for creating and protecting your personal brand:
“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” (Socrates) When your name comes up, people in your life think of something: smart, adept with numbers, more reliable than a Swiss watch, great listener, glamorous, and many other descriptors. In addition people who don’t know you, or don’t know you well, are looking you up online. What they see forms a first impression, just as it would in person. Your brand is out there. Whether you shape it — and how — is up to you.
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” (George Bernard Shaw) As a brand you do a lot of public speaking. Unfortunately, as a public speaker you are often misunderstood. You don’t think about your message as a way of expressing your brand. As a result, your audience walks away thinking things about you that might not be accurate: pretentious, arrogant, or boring. Try your best to anticipate the ways your presentation might be misinterpreted — and do your best to prevent the misperception before it happens. Your voice can be a very high-impact part of your brand. It can create brand opportunity or brand damage depending on how you use it. Always be mindful of your tonality, language volume, articulation and frequency of speaking.
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” (Henry Ford) Once you have your current and future brand clear in your head, next you have to develop your “build-and-break” plans. Identify the items that you need to build your brand up. Think of the three “S”s — what you need to start, stop or sustain; determine what will enhance your brand or move you to your future brand; list the items that will damage or deter your success, and establish some “have to” tactics that are non-negotiable. It is crucial to be as detailed as possible, and every process is properly documented.
“Personal branding is about managing your name in a world of misinformation, disinformation and semi-permanent Google records.” Tim Ferris, author of The 4-Hour Workweek declared, “Going on a date? Chances are that your ‘blind’ date has Googled your name. Going to a job interview? Ditto.” Avoid brand damage online, and this requires keeping a “front page” mentality at the forefront of all your thoughts — and posts — at all times. Some suggested processes include: Ask yourself before posting on social media, “How will this impact my brand?” Review your Internet presence on a weekly basis, and don’t allow someone else to manage your brand online unless you have complete confidence in that person’s understanding of your brand. These action points are good starters, but the best way to avoid damage is to have a clear picture of what you want people think of you, and maintain an attitude that everything you do will communicate this brand message to others. In the end, it’s up to you to be your own brand manager on Facebook, just as you are everywhere else.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” (Warren Buffett) The best offense is a good defense. You have to be in constant reinvention mode with your personal brand management. What you’re doing today to manage it with blogs, videos, Twitter, Facebook, voice and screen capture, voice mail and public appearances could be worthless and dead a year from now. You have to be aggressive with what is available to communicate your brand. You also have to be aware of trends and buyer behaviors to not get left behind.
“If I lose control of the business, I’d lose myself — or at least the ability to be myself. Owning myself is a way to be myself.” (Oprah Winfrey) When discussing personal branding, keep these realities in mind: The Internet amplifies everything — missteps can be costly and it isn’t easy to undo the damage once it’s done; Context matters — a comment you make to a close friend may not be appropriate to make in front of a large group, where your best interests may be protected; consistency is everything — when you’re being pulled in many directions, connect with your core values and principles. These can guide you to do the right thing; internal and external brands exist in a family context, too — how your loved ones regard you like a caring parent, a tireless advocate or someone who is always there.
“Character is much easier kept than recovered.” (Thomas Paine) Your brand can reach farther than your presence. Prior to the Internet, a brand reached only as far as the physical presence of the individual and his immediate relationships. The online world has expanded your brand to become accessible to anyone who wants to find it. You can create a brand that can influence others. Your brand can make a difference that can thrive even after you die. When you realize you have the opportunity to have a greater purpose, your brand will afford you to create a bigger personal platform. Adopt a “never quit, total positivity, make the most of your life, you only live once, and inspire others” mentality. There are thousands of nonprofits out there, and you and your brand can be extremely optimistic and powerful if you get involved. You can pay forward through service to others, while having something exciting and fun to do.
“People will forget what you did, people will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou) You live in a world where information is readily accessible. You used to be able to retire and move on and live in your small community that agreed with you. But this isn’t how things work in today’s environment. Social media are expanding your footprint and your world. So you have to do some things differently if you want to engage with those in your life.
If you care about what has been said in the preceding brand management thoughts, here are some more points for consideration: realize that social media is bigger than you think, read current events, get familiar with something regularly that has the opposing view, seek to understand before seeking to be understood, ask a lot of questions, continue to learn, tell your story because if you don’t, someone else will, reputation is much easier kept than recovered and smile always. Be happy and let others know you are happy.
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