Managing Your Business’ Online Reputation: Part 1 – Michael Parrella
Posted by Member Solutions on Tue, Nov 01, 2011 @ 07:00 AM
Hey Mike Parrella here, and I hope you’re having a rocking day so far.
I wanted to talk about something that we all seem to value greatly but often do nothing about; our school’s Online Reputation. This blog post is a little long, so strap in and grab a cup of coffee.
A few months ago I did a tele-seminar about my 5-Step Online Success Blueprint. If you didn’t attend this awesome event, here’s a link so that you can download the whole thing:
-> 5-Step Online Marketing Blueprint
There was also a free manual that went with the seminar, but you’ll have to friend me on Facebook and send me a message to get it.
:) http://facebook.com/michael.parrella1It basically detailed my 5 most important strategies for getting loads of new students online and how to become the dominant school in your area.
The one strategy that is probably the most overlooked was #3 –
Online Reputation Management. I’ll cover some points here that I didn’t get a chance to talk about in the webinar.
Most of you have probably not even heard that term until just a few months ago, if at all. And that’s basically because it didn’t really exist. But let me break it down for you as to ‘what’ it is and ‘why’ its going to become some of the most important words in the future of your business.
Recently there has been a big change in “
Google Places” where all local businesses [that have created a profile] are showing up in a directory-style search on the first page. This is regardless of the ranking of their website but closely related to the ‘area’ that you are searching.
In this Google Places directory, you have an opportunity to have lots of information about your business, i.e., address, phone, website, etc. You can also put up videos, photos, your logo, hours of operation and stuff like that. Probably the most important part of the Google Places listing is the ‘reviews.’
Google assigns a ‘starred’ system for reviews, just like the movies or restaurants do. And they show up on that stacked against everyone else’s.
Between you and me, I always click on the business that has more stars.
:)
Attached to these directories are consumer reviews. Google will pull them from Google, Yahoo, insiderpages.com and a variety of other business directories [which seem to vary from place to place depending on what part of the country you’re in].
Personally, I don’t go to a movie, check out a new restaurant or buy almost any product anymore without checking reviews. It’s just too easy. They’re on every search and my iPhone has a ton of apps that makes reading reviews a breeze.
Statistics show that I am not the only one. Check out these stats:
- When asked what sources "influence your decision to use or not use a particular company, brand or product” 71% claim reviews from family members or friends exert a "great deal" or "fair amount" of influence. (Harris Interactive, June 2010)
- Consumer reviews are significantly more trusted -- nearly 12 times more -- than descriptions that come from manufacturers, according to a survey of US mom Internet users by online video review site EXPO. (eMarketer, February 2010)
- 44% of Moms use social media for brand/product recommendations; 73% trust online community recommendations. (BabyCenter LLC, July 2010)
and…
- 62% of people read online reviews for products and service, and 49% of people compare prices online
- 47% of people post online reviews
- 62% of people trust reviews from friends, family and colleagues, 56% trust reviews from other consumers and 50% trust reviews from professional reviewers
- 28% trust reviews on company websites
- 62% of people will change their minds about a purchase after reading 3 negative reviews
So we can agree that reviews are important, right?
You see, in the old days (which can be anywhere from 2 years to 50, mind you – depending on how old I feel that day) if you ended a relationship with a client or a customer, badly, it usually stopped there. That person probably told a few friends or family members and it wouldn’t really go much further.
Other than that, what were they gonna do? Stand outside your school with picket signs? Organize a lock-out? Light torches? Hardly.
The consumer of yesterday rarely had any real power unless they went to great extremes. And quite frankly, even if you messed up, most people are far too lazy to take that kind of action.
That isn’t the case anymore.
People have traded in their protests and their picket signs for their computer or a mobile device. And believe me, they pack a whole lot more punch than oak-tag and a broom handle.
I know that if I ever felt wronged or treated unfairly by a business, I would turn into an online wrecking machine in a matter of 30 minutes. I would post negative reviews on Google Places, Insider Pages, Super Pages, Hot Frog, Merchant Circle – you name it. I’d even create business directories for that business – even if they didn’t have any – just for the sole purpose of writing a negative review!
You see, just like other consumers and all your customers, I’d want to be heard. I’d want to show that I do matter and what I think and feel has meaning in the world.
So check this out…
Here’s my favorite and most effective strategy for getting my students to post reviews. It utilizes Facebook and it’s a strategy that will help you get a ton of reviews quickly. Just don’t do it only once. Set it on your calendar. Do it weekly.
FACEBOOK REVIEW STRATEGY # 1
- Create business directories/profiles on any one of 500 or so directories out there. Not sure which ones to use? Do a search for ‘Best Business Directories’ or ‘Best Directory to Register My Business’ or something to that effect.
- Copy the link for the directory you just created.
- Paste the link on whatever Facebook page has a bunch of your students on it and ask them to write some cool reviews for you.
And if you do business with me or have gotten to know me online, you’ll know that I don’t share theories or ideas. I share stuff that actually works and I always have the proof to back it up. Here’s Cassidy Huie, the head instructor in my Long Island Location utilizing this strategy; BTW, you can friend him too, he’s an awesome instructor.
Here’s what happens next…
Pretty easy right? Well then, get to it!
In Part 2 of this series, I’m going to show you what to do when you get a negative review and how to make sure that those reviews don’t put you out of business!
Talk to you soon,
Michael P.
P.S. If you have any questions about your Online Reputation, please post your comments below. I’ll do my best to answer them quick! And if you don’t have any questions, just flat out show me some love!
P.P.S. And if you’re looking to become the most dominant school in your area and have a website that literally sucks in students by the thousands, give my company a call at 516-543-0041. One of my staff members will get you hooked up right away. :)
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Michael Parrella is owner and CEO of Full Contact Online Marketing, iLoveKickboxing.com, KidsLoveMartialArts.com, Martial Arts Website Formula and Master Parrella’s Martial Arts Centers in Long Island, New York. Michael is also a published author and a member of the Member Solutions Advisory Team.
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