Five Steps to Controlling your Online Reputation

When I was a kid, my southern Baptist Preacher father used to tell me I could never outrun my reputation.  I wasn’t the fastest kid around, but Jesse Owen, Carl Lewis, and Usain Bolt can’t outrun their reputation either.  Now with Social Media and hundreds of Online Review Sites- this fact is more real than ever; especially for businesses.

Today, ninety percent (90%) of all buying decisions are made before customers ever contact the business or organization they are interested in.  That means Automotive Dealerships, Churches, Attorneys, Real Estate Agents and any other business you can think of is not immune from anyone with a PC, tablet, or smartphone from sharing their experience perceived or otherwise about your organization.

So how do you make sure your Online Reputation reflects the real story that you want your potential customers to see?  The following steps to having a great Online Reputation is easier than you might think.

1. Provide a great product or service.  Yes, we all know that sometimes you will not be able to satisfy the most arduous consumer.  Later in this article we will discuss this point.  However, most consumers when making a purchase expect their product or service to perform as advertised.  If this happens 100% of the time then usually your reputation will be strong.
2. Thank your customer.  By letting your customer know that you know they have choices and you appreciate their business you have taken one of the easiest steps available.  It is a fact.  You are not the only game in town.  Consumers have more choices than ever, and they know this.  Let your customer know that you are happy to have earned their business every chance you get.
3. Give your Customers a Chance to Talk.  Now, most people do not go home and take the time to write a great review.  (Some customers do, but most don’t).  Most Online Reviews are written by individuals who feel they did not get the treatment or value from the business they patronized.  Usually businesses never know that this customer was unhappy until the review has been posted for the world to see.  This will happen to the best of companies or organizations.  So, if you have taken care of Point Number 1 and Point Number 2 then you will not have to worry about many negative reviews posting on your personal review sites.  However, you must ask your happy customers to share their wonderful experience online.  In general, customers would love to share their great experience if it is easy and convenient as long as the first two points happen.  If you are receiving ten positive reviews for every one negative post then your Online Reputation will be solid.
4. Respond to all.  Businesses and organizations should respond to every review.  All too often, most reviews are never acknowledge online in a public forum.  Take the time to thank the customer for taking the time to write the review.  Second, address the information (both positive and negative) in each review.  That means you must read the review.  It shows you care.  Do NOT post a generic response because you are telling the world that you really do not care about the time your customer took to share their experience.  Do not just respond to negative reviews or to only the positive reviews.  This also sends a poor message to the group of consumers you are not responding to.
5. Social Media is also Online Reputation.  Understand that your Online Reputation is not only expressed on review sites such as Google, Yelp, CitySearch and others.  Your reputation is anything and everything that is posted online.  That means Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress and other Social Media Sites also hold the keys to your Online Reputation.  Businesses must have a plan to understand and work their social media network.  A recent blog; ‘Is your business Social’ shares the importance of understanding how to allow use Social Media to improve your business.  It is very important to blend both Social Media Marketing and Online Reputation together to help share your story with the world.

Now unless your digital legs are stronger than the most tested athletes of all-time than you will need to place your efforts into Online Reputation because you cannot run from it.  Since the beginning of time, reputation is everything and your business has to have a plan.  As you have just read, it isn’t hard to understand what to do about managing your Online Reputation.  You just have to do it, and have the right plan of action.

DeliveryMaxx is a full digital service provider for Social Media Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Search Engine Optimization, and complete Content Management program.  Their Patent-Pending Program cannot be duplicated and gives their family of clients a competitive advantage.  Clients include automotive dealerships, attorneys, church organizations, non-profits, hotels & hospitality and many more.   For more information visit http://www.deliverymaxx.com or contact 888.936.6299.

Rules that guide the elite

The Six Rules That Guide Elite Employees - Reblog

By Brian Adams
Source - www.forbes.com
Date: 6-23-2014

Purpose is the engine that drives elite performance. Clearly defined goals are the tools that make achievement of purpose possible. Elite employees can tell you where they are going, how long it will take them to get there and what steps they will take along the way.

After managing a couple hundred people, I've noticed that elite employees are hard to find. This may be because elite employees have the mentality of elite athletes, even from their first endeavor. They know what they want and they shoot for the stars. However, in life we don’t get what we wish for. We get what we work for. To be successful, you must pursue your goals relentlessly, regardless of what others may think. To try is to risk failure — the greatest hazard you will face. The safe path would be to risk nothing. But the athlete who risks nothing, does nothing, learns nothing and has nothing.

I've experienced both good and bad employees, and how their actions towards work differ. Here are some rules that elite employees follow — mostly intuitively — on their journey towards goal attainment:

Rule 1: Live the Journey

This is the process of becoming who and what you want to be. You will appreciate things you achieve in your life in direct proportion to the price you pay for them.

As you travel this road, you learn much about who you are and how you can continue to achieve certain goals throughout your life. This journey is about the growth of you as an individual, not about the firsts, seconds or thirds. These will come as you remain focused on attainment. It’s something far more inwardly rewarding.

Rule 2: Defeat Doubt 

Defeat doubt through belief. Action cures fear. Imagination and thoughts determine your future reality.

As Bryce Courtenay says in his book The Power of One, “The Power of One is above all things the power to believe in yourself, often well beyond any latent ability you may have previously demonstrated. The mind is the employee. The body is simply the means it uses to run faster, jump higher or perform better. Only a sustained and invincible belief in yourself will allow you to maintain your integrity and achieve the goals you have set for yourself.”

Don't hold yourself back because you haven’t done something before. If you believe you can do something, you probably can.

Rule 3: Don't Get Stuck in the Muck

Quite simply, this means staying focused. Once you begin the journey, see it through to the end. Show grit. Three important factors to consider:

• Attraction: Focus on what you want and move towards it with drive and determination. Exhibit an unwavering work ethic.
• Distraction: Know what you don’t like and move away from it.
• Reflection: Objectively assess what you have to change to reach the top.

Rule 4: Embrace Problems

If you don’t have any problems, then your goals might be too small. Realize that if what you are trying to achieve was easy, everyone would be doing it and it wouldn't be special. The problems you will face represent opportunities in that they identify areas for you to grow. In the end, you will appreciate your victories substantially more due to the work you put into overcoming them.

Rule 5: Lead Rather Than Follow

If you are doing what everyone else is doing, you will end up where everyone else is going. Elite employees are willing to do what most other employees are not. In other words, it takes someone special to be someone special. Ask yourself this question: Are you doing enough to “just get by,” or are you actively investing in getting better?

Rule 6: Find Champions for Your Cause

Realize that in order to reach your pinnacle you need help along the way. You need direction, reassurance, resources and maybe even someone to light your path. You must surround yourself with people who believe in you. Find individuals who will champion your cause.

Although goals provide the motivation — and form the reason and incentive — that directs our activity, it is the work we put in that makes us great. The best employees know this, and invest in themselves to move step by step closer to their goals.

What Is Organic Search Engine Optimization / SEO

Reblogged

June 18, 2014 | By Jennifer Bourn

The goal of pretty much every website owner I know is to be ranked number one on Google for their preferred keywords and key phrases — but to someday, possibly claim that number one spot, you’ve got a lot of work to do. You’ve got to maintain the site, update it with new, valuable, and relevant content, market the site, and optimize it.

There are three basic components to a well-optimized website:

• Search engine friendly, user friendly, smart design
• Compelling content that gets visitors to take action
• Optimization to maximize your website’s effectiveness

At Bourn Creative, we’ve got you covered with drool-worthy search engine friendly design, and hopefully our blog has helped and provided resources to create compelling content. Now it’s time to optimize your website and all the content in it.

Over the next several posts, I am going to share several different ways you can naturally optimize your website for organic search and I’m going to show you EXACTLY how to implement each step, including:

• How to Optimize Website Content For Search Engines And People
• How to Optimize Images And Photos
• How to Optimize Website Links
• How to Use the HTML Title Tag For Search Engine Optimization
• How to Use the HTML Meta Description Tag to Improve Your SEO
• What You Need to Know About The Meta Keywords Tag and Using Keywords
• How to Optimize Blog Posts For Maximum Results
• How to Create Content That Attracts Ideal Clients Who Don’t Yet Know You Exist
• And More!

But First, What is SEO / Search Engine Optimization?

Simply put, search engine optimization, also known as SEO is the practice of getting found online.It encompassed everything you can do naturally or organically (unpaid) to help boost your results in the search engine results pages (SERPs) so more people can find you.

Why Search Engine Optimization is Important to The Success of Your Website

Most of all major website traffic comes from search engines — especially traffic from new visitors that have never been to your site before. If you don’t show up in the search engine results pages when someone searches for a keyword or key phrase associated with your website, you’re losing opportunities to connect with those who are looking for what you offer.

After all, no one can hire you, buy from you, or learn from you, if they don’t know you exist!

Many elements of search engine optimization, like writing an HTML title for a page or an HTML meta description, alone can seem insignificant, but when you combine them together, the results can be pretty powerful!

While SEO is important, please heed my words of caution:

While every little bit of optimization helps and makes a difference in the success of your site, there is no guarantee that optimizing your website will put you in the first spot on the Google search results page — or even on the first page for that matter (even Google says this publicly). And, even with an expertly-crafted HTML title tag and meta description tag, there isn’t a 100% guarantee the search engines will use the ones you write and not make one up on their own.

Important Things to Note About Organic Search Engine Optimization

• The experts at Google (and all reputable search engines) tell websites owners to create content for your users first and foremost, and search engines second. Never should a search engine come before your user in priority.
• Search engines are looking for the same thing your visitors are — appealing design, simple navigation, smart site structure, valuable and helpful links, valuable and relevant content, etc.
• The goal of a search engine, especially Google, is to provide the searcher the best, most relevant, helpful, useful, informative websites possible based on their search query — Weird, obscure, or too clever headlines don’t help.
• Don’t put your eggs all in one basket. One optimization strategy won’t do a lot of good all alone. While optimizing your site will definitely help, you also need to constantly publish new optimized content, create social proof, build authoritative and quality links to your site, work to improve your site, and more.
• SEO is not only about inbound links or backlinks, your outbound links are important too! Who you link to makes a difference because the search engines want to make sure that if they send someone to your site, you’re not sending them somewhere totally irrelevant.
• Don’t forget about internal links! Internal links — links between pages of your own website — are important because they help both visitors and search engines find and access more pages on your site.
• Don’t get caught up in search engine optimization as the “get found magic pill.” You should never put more effort in optimization than in improving your website, refining your content, and testing/tweaking your conversion points.

Avoiding The SEO Smarm

Before I dive into learning SEO and optimization best practices, I want to make sure we’re on the same page about those “SEO Experts” who email you.

Just because you received an email with your website URL in the subject line or in the actual email itself, doesn’t mean someone actually looked at your website, cares about your website, or really knows your missing out of a hot keyword opportunity or that your rankings can be increased.

• Usually these emails are generated automatically by a computer program or pieces of software and they are sent to millions of people around the world, with the hope that a few will say yes.
• Any service provider guaranteeing you a number one ranking or page 1 ranking without a continuously ongoing plan to keep you there doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Think about it — every person who does what you do in the whole world wants that same spot and they’re all trying to get it too. If you’re lucky enough to score top ranking for a hot keyword or phrase in your niche, it’s going to take work to stay there — otherwise someone else will take it from you.

Any service provider guaranteeing you a number one ranking or page one ranking without doing any research or confirming the keywords or phrases that you can compete successfully on, doesn’t know what they are doing or they just want your money.

Anyone can earn a top ranking on Google for a keyword or key phrase that no one is searching for — that’s easy! But who cares about that? And, with focused effort most people can make it to page one for a long tail keyword phrase, but staying there for more than the blink of an eye is a whole different story.

If you’re going to hire an SEO company to help boost your site’s visibility online, you want to go with the company that:

• Works with you to research keywords and see where you can be competitive
• Provides a keyword research report and a recommended package focusing on specific terms
• Provides recommendations and guidance on how to use the selected keywords in content, blog posts, guest posts, links, and more
• Includes continuous reporting, stats, and course-corrections in their package
• Has a plan/option to continue with them to monitor and maintain any high rankings achieved
• Doesn’t just talk about keywords and links, but actually creates a plan to improve your site and make it more appealing to search engines through content, blog posts, landing pages, and more
• Doesn’t pitch, sell, or recommend bad, frowned upon, or blackhat practices (some still do this)

So remember, nothing about your search engine ranking can be guaranteed and your site’s position and rankings, along with everyone else’s changes every day. But with consistent effort, and by taking advantage of every optimization opportunity you have for your site, you’ll already be way ahead of the competition.

Is your business Social?

The world today has every business talking about Social Media, Online Reputation, Content Management and other terms which may sound Greek to the average person.  Terms that have turned that geek from your high school into today’s millionaire.  Automotive Dealerships, Churches, Attorneys, Real Estate Agents, and almost every type of business have added so-called digital media experts to their labor pool.  Sometimes starting salaries in upwards of $60,000 to $90,000 have been awarded to twenty-year-old-something wonder kids.  Unfortunately, the results have not always been favorable and many of these companies are no better off than when they first started entering the digital highway.

First things first!  Every business should have a plan.  This is where most companies fail when trying to play in the digital playground.  It starts and ends with leadership.  Many company leaders are very good at what they do, but they do not know how to promote their business digitally.  It’s not because the leader isn’t smart enough.  It’s because they are afraid to learn digital.  These are the leaders that say, “I don’t use Facebook, or know what a Tweet is.”  That doesn’t mean their potential customers are not congregating here, and it certainly doesn’t mean to act like an ostrich burying your head in hopes that the situation will change.  Embrace technology, and have your management team embrace it too.  You don’t have to be an expert, but you do have to use common sense.  Now, I know that isn’t you so keep reading along.

In days passed, leaders understood demographics of who listened to what on the radio (before Satellite), what shows were popular on cable television (before TIVO & DVR), how many newspapers were in circulation (when newspapers still existed), and what highways had the most traffic (Flying cars are on the way, we hope).  The internet isn’t any different.  These same potential customers are now spending thousands of hours in front of their computer getting entertainment, news, and information.  They utilize handheld devices (smartphones, tablets, handheld gaming systems, phasers) easily identifying the trends of the day.  The only difference in 2014 versus 1990 or even the year 2000 is the shift of where potential customers are lurking.   No longer are the days where every progressive city has a mall to attract consumers to shop.  It doesn’t make sense to build these massive structures for shopping just like it doesn’t make sense to throw your money in the wind (toilet) when it comes to advertising and marketing.

If you are still with me, you have completed the first stage by admitting that you have a problem.  This is the biggest hurdle.  So where do you go from here?  It’s easier than you may think.

Now, I am assuming you have a website that tells your story.  If not, stop reading now and start focusing on your website today.  Before you focus on your website, make sure you fire anyone and everyone in your company that has anything to do with your marketing team and the decision not to have an optimal website.

However, if I have not lost you yet then you are probably a company that has Facebook, Twitter, and perhaps even a YouTube account.  You may even have a verified Google Plus and Yahoo page accompanying your digital network or you may even dabble in Pinterest.  This is a great starting point and now you need a plan to make them start working for you.  You can also look in the mirror and be happy that you can briefly understand that your kids are not reverting back to their infant years when they are talking about where they were hanging with their friends (Google, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook, SnapChat, and Instagram).  (You don’t have to like it, but you do have to accept it.)

Key point number one is to understand that the consumer does not want to know you are advertising to them.  Social Media hot spots are where Person A gives a Shout Out to Person B, or Person C shares a moment on Thursday that happened 10 to 15 years ago.  That doesn’t mean you can’t advertise to potential customers.  You just have to understand there is a way to talk with the consumer without invading their space.

Let me back up my point here.  Facebook has 1.28 Billion active users.  YouTube has a large share of 1 Billion.  Google has 540 million while Twitter grows each day, currently with 255 million users.  Instagram boasts 200 million while LinkedIn has 187 million.  Pinterest is sitting at 70 million and Vine has 40 million.  What highway, radio station, television show, or newspaper has that kind of reach? If your business is not social, and you are not planning to embrace the future, fire yourself!

Are you still with me?  I’m glad because although it makes for an interesting dinner conversation about how you fired yourself, it isn’t pleasant or good for your ego.

Be careful here.  Every 20-something with a computer who wears tight jeans, a t-shirt with a clever saying, and tennis shoes claims to be a social media expert.  Colleges even offer this as a course, and some of you reading this blog have paid for it.  

Social Media was meant for two or more people to hangout (virtually I might add) or communicate in a (virtual) common place of interest.  Now something that you might like to know when it comes to your business.

Social Media has become a place for Person A to brag with Person B through Z and all of B through Z’s friends and family about Little A’s Certificate of Appreciation for enrolling in the running club.  Then you have someone else chime in saying how happy they are for Person A and subtly tell the group how excited they are for their little one who earned the Perfect Attendance Award.  (I know this award has been around forever, but really?  We still give an award for doing what you are supposed to do?)

Social Media is not about posting your product or service three times a day on Facebook.  It isn’t about placing your commercial on YouTube.  It’s not about using 140 characters to remind us to try your widget or read your blog about free-range chickens (or whatever you’re into).  Too many so called social media companies love telling you they manage all of their channels.  Then they are excited to show you how many times they have posted to your network.  Next time asked them point blank if they have ever posted that same content to another one of their clients.  That is not social media.

Now to training 101.  What if you were able to get Person A to share with Person B through Z and all of their friends and family about your product or services you provide?  What if conversations continued about your great product and services on all of the social media channels?  In addition, what if every time you earned a new customer they became another virtual mouthpiece for your company’s product or service.  Not because you asked them or tricked them into singing your praises, but because they wanted to sing your praises.  We are living in times where ordinary people want to promote the businesses and products they enjoy, whether it be a tweet about how excited they are for the latest summer blockbusters, sharing a link on Reddit of a website with really funny T-Shirts, or making a status update about a tasty new flavor of Gatorade, if you use social media to get people excited about your business – they WILL!!!

This is working Social Media.  Now, go be Social!

DeliveryMaxx is a full digital service provider for Social Media Marketing, Online Reputation Management, Search Engine Optimization, and complete Content Management program.  Clients include automotive dealerships, attorneys, church organizations, non-profits, hotels & hospitality and many more.   For more information visit http://www.deliverymaxx.com or contact 888.936.6299.