Reputation management: why, how and when reputation is needed in business. How to create and strengthen your reputation How to neutralize negative rumors

Being an expert is honorable and useful. Experts find jobs and clients more easily, their opinions are listened to, and they are paid more. Every second would like to become an expert, and every fourth believes that this is almost impossible without completing expensive programs and working in large corporations.

And an expert is not such a rare bird. We live in a world where anyone can become an expert. Because many, without realizing it, are experts in one field or another. And for this they have everything - necessary knowledge and experience.

But why don't we know these people? Because only a person who is a brand receives the title of expert. And a brand, as you know, needs to be created. Below are some tips on how to create a name for yourself as an expert.

1. Write every day

Get yourself accounts in those social networks where the lion's share of your target audience sits. These can be regular social networks like Facebook, or professional ones like LinkedIn. You should be found wherever potential employers and clients are. And not only to find, but also to see: you need to publish at least one post every day. At the same time, the publication must correspond to the format of a particular social network and your topic. Of course, in addition to posts on professional topics, you can also write something personal and joke. But it is very important to maintain balance here.

2. Don't hide

The time of anonymous writers is over. Now a person’s name is highly valued, and this name should be heard. Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to start a career as an expert, being a popular TV presenter, but any person has every chance to glorify himself, provided that he:
- introduce himself;
– will share high-quality materials with the audience;
– will prove himself to be an excellent expert.

3. Create an information flow

Post information that will be important at least once a week a large number Human. Examples of such information:

– reviews of new programs, gadgets (if relevant for your industry);
– instructions, useful recommendations and lists;
– e-books, useful for your field of activity, or reviews of them;
– useful videos or podcasts;
– the most important world news (depending on your topic) and your comments on them;

Information must be relevant, high-quality and verified. The more it meets these three criteria, the faster you will be perceived as an expert and trustworthy source.

4. Columnism is your everything

Being a guest author on a popular resource automatically adds points to you. Fortunately, it is now quite easy to start writing a column on various online media sites. Don't look at being a columnist as a waste of time - you're spending it on your brand. On the contrary: if the resource is popular, even more people will see you who would otherwise never know about you. Whenever possible, choose specialized resources that are relevant to your field of activity.

5. Share unique information

Only experts can generate unique, high-quality content. Therefore, you simply must generate it. An analytical article, a review, a detailed commentary, an action plan - not everyone can write such things efficiently.

But in any case, you can always start with something simple. For example, expert material can even be a translation of an English-language article. But it must be a truly complex and deep article on a highly specialized topic that readers will be interested in reading. There is another advantage to translations - you learn a lot of new things and develop.

6. Communicate as much as possible

Experts have long been not oracles telling the truth, but people who constantly gain their authority in discussions and disputes. Social networks ensure that active communication with subscribers occurs casually and at a convenient time, so you can communicate much more than you could otherwise afford. real life. Therefore, answer questions, discuss, argue. And - what is very important - be correct. Arguments that end in personalities will not build your reputation.

Also follow experts who work in your field. Check in with them in the comments under their materials and discuss with them if you have something to say. You will not only prove yourself, but also gain valuable contacts.

7. Go to public speaking events

Follow the schedule of conferences, round tables, exhibitions, events in various coworking spaces that relate to your area and participate in them as a speaker. This best way find new employers, clients and present yourself as an expert. Think carefully about what to say and about what - you need to be remembered, and it should be a vivid and relevant topic.

8. Don’t neglect working on yourself

Even if you don’t have time to actively manage your social media account or blog, still try to organize your time so as not to give up working on your brand for good. For example, make publications that take up the most resources more rare and reduce their volume. It is therefore important to warn the audience that you will write less, but do not quit for good.

The main thing is not only maintaining the audience, but also understanding that working on your own brand is also working on yourself. For your publications, you should monitor all market news and analyze it to understand where things are heading in your field. This will give you an invaluable advantage over others, and therefore make you more valuable in every sense.

"Head of a budget organization", 2010, N 2

We are already accustomed to the fact that it is mainly large companies operating in highly competitive markets that think about creating a positive reputation in our country. However, reputation is also important for budgetary organizations, especially for those that provide services to the population. How can you build and maintain a business reputation? And most importantly, how not to lose in one moment what has been built up over the years?

Henry Ford warned executives: “If you don’t take care of your company’s reputation, your competitors will.” These words can be attributed to activities not only commercial structures, but also budgetary institutions, because many of them today work in a competitive environment in the fields of education, medicine, and culture. And this competition is growing every year, and with it the role of business reputation.

According to American experts, the share of reputation in the total market value of the company ranges from 15 to 25% (in some cases reaching 75%). In Russia, according to reputation management consultant Alexey Zlovedov, this share is on average 50%.

According to Harvard Business School, over an 11-year period (1993 to 2004), companies around the world that focused on their reputation increased revenue by 682%, profit by 756%, and headcount by 282. %. At the same time, companies that did not pay special attention to reputation issues showed results of 166%, 1% and 36%, respectively. World practice shows that organizations that seriously work on building a reputation become leaders in their field.

Creating a reputation

First, let’s define what an organization’s reputation is and how it differs from its image.

Compared to reputation, image is the image that an organization strives to create in its environment. And if a reputation is formed over years and involves the deepest emotions of people, then the image is a certain external impression of the organization, how it appears here and now.

Note. Business reputation is a set of opinions about the organization of representatives stakeholders who are associated with it (employees, consumers, government officials, media, etc.).

It is obvious that the formation of a reputation is a longer process compared to the creation of an image, and it affects all levels of the organization and all its employees - from the director to the courier.

First of all, the manager should entrust the formation of a reputation program to professionals. Depending on the level of development of the organization, this may be one PR specialist or several specialists united in some structure, for example, in a public relations department. Of course, you can attract specialists from an independent agency and even agree on subscription services. But practice shows that this form of work does not guarantee confidentiality, and some documents may end up not only in the hands of competitors, but also on Internet sites.

1. Clear goal setting: what kind of reputation and for which groups we want to form.

Agree that you cannot become the best at everything. Therefore, it is important to highlight a priority area for the organization and be able to express the desired reputation in a few words. For example: a reliable organization (consumers believe that it strives to fulfill all obligations to them), a prestigious university (it has the largest competitions compared to other universities, graduates quickly get jobs in their specialty).

2. Identify the “bottlenecks” of the organization that prevent the achievement of the desired reputation.

Suppose budgetary institution wants to create a reputation among its clients as an organization where all issues are resolved promptly. In this case, the analysis should be aimed primarily at identifying customer interaction procedures that need to be accelerated. In budget structures, this primarily concerns the timing of consideration of various documents. If consumers are confident that the organization approves all requests without delay, its reputation will be significantly strengthened.

3. Decide how to overcome bottlenecks and eliminate them.

We have a simple management task ahead of us. If your goal is to speed up the procedure for approving documents, it is worth analyzing at what stage and why they get stuck, and how you can motivate (or punish) the employee (or department) where the delay occurs. It is important to draw up an action plan to eliminate bottlenecks and implement it.

4. Create a precedent.

When the ground is prepared and the main problems preventing the creation of the desired reputation have been eliminated, it’s time to think about a bright event and worthy coverage of it among interested groups.

If we return to our example with the reputation of a company that makes quick decisions, then in this case such a precedent can be created. Previously, approval procedures took you a whole month, but with the help of the created “single window” system, you reduced this period to 10 days. And even when the client needed to quickly resolve some complex issue, your employees made every effort, but met the deadline, surprising him beyond words. And then we need to make sure that as many people as possible learn about this event through the media.

We maintain our reputation

Creating a good reputation is only half the battle. It is much more difficult to preserve it. An ill-considered action by management or even an ordinary employee can instantly ruin what specialists have been working on for years. The fly in the ointment can be the rash statements of the company's top (or public) officials. It is especially bad if the behavior or words of a public person diverge from the stated postulates. Unfulfilled promises to clients also cause irreparable damage to reputation, especially if they are accompanied by rude attacks from staff. Attempts to change the rules during the game often turn against the organization. For example, visitors expect certain behavior from your employees and do not realize that priorities have shifted slightly, and in the end they simply cease to understand what is happening.

Incorrect actions in relation to those people who have access to mass audiences and are capable of ruining the company’s reputation (journalists, politicians, etc.) can become especially dangerous. Therefore, you should think seriously before refusing to comment to any reputable media outlet.

There can be no trifles in the business of reputation management. But the values ​​that play a significant role in its maintenance deserve special attention.

Company history. You are very lucky if your organization interesting story, rooted in past centuries. These are the stories that the oldest theaters, museums, higher education institutions can boast of. educational institutions. They have something to tell the public about themselves, and this story can be exploited for a long time (in a positive sense), inventing new, modern forms. For example, how can you introduce modern youth to a museum if you can’t lure them there? Create a virtual museum with interactive features and an online tour.

But even if there was nothing unusual in history at first glance, you need to find at least a few interesting facts and on their basis, write history anew, filling it with bright events and achievements. And then make this story public, draw attention to it with the help of interesting publications in the media. A reputation that is not based on anything is not convincing. A rich history shows that the organization has earned its reputation: it worked hard, quickly rebuilt in response to changing conditions, experienced ups and downs, and showed resistance to negative influences, that is, its success is natural.

Reputation of top officials. Nothing can be done, but the reputation of the top officials is projected onto the reputation of the entire organization. This rule is true even for a huge multi-thousand company (remember the examples of Anatoly Chubais or Evgeny Chichvarkin), not to mention a small office whose director is its “face”. Therefore, while caring about the reputation of his company, a manager must first of all take care of his own reputation. An organization will not develop a reputation for reliability if its leader is constantly late for meetings with clients, “forgets” about agreements, and makes scandalous statements in the press. So the manager should begin the process of building a reputation not with the staff, but with himself.

Meeting expectations. What matters most to customers is what it makes sense to focus on. If the main thing for a strategic client is reliability, then all efforts should be directed towards this. If service is more important, then every effort should be made to ensure that customers say: “They have the best service.” If quality: “They care so much about the quality of services that they are ready to return money to anyone who is not satisfied with it.” That is, it is important to accurately determine the leading need of a strategic client and concentrate all efforts on its implementation.

Compliance of cases with stated policies. When consciously forming and maintaining a reputation, one cannot do without creating an information policy - a special document that clearly states a description of the reputation that should be formed among various target audiences. In addition, the document indicates the mechanisms that work to form such a reputation. For example, the organization claims that it is reliable, and in support of this it publishes an annual review, which shows that during the year there was not a single refusal to review documents. Such an organization is trusted more, because its words do not differ from its deeds.

Concentration of effort. It is much more profitable to concentrate efforts on one thing, and then it will inevitably “take off”, and simply maintain everything else at a positive level.

So, When managing the reputation of an organization, it is important to remember this rule: what is different is remembered. In our case, it is different from all other companies and organizations. Market players with a strong reputation are always “the best.” They say about them: they have the newest developments, they work with the most the best specialists, they have the best laboratory... This is what we should strive for!

It cannot be bought with money. Cannot be exchanged by barter. You can't get it using clever schemes. She is the key that opens many doors. Why is reputation so important for a business person? Do all employees need it? What does it consist of? How hard is it to earn it? And is it easy to destroy?

With a joker in your hands

The rule that any journalist knows: first you work for the name, then the name works for you. The same principle can guide any specialist in almost any business. It takes years of hard work to build a reputation. But the result is worth it.

As a rule, the opinions of other people are the only information about a person that does not require verification. Therefore, it is reputation that employers and clients tend to trust, and it is reputation that opens the way to a successful career continuation. “Business reputation is the “added value” of a professional in the labor market, earning which he receives a number of privileges,” says Anna Prostomolotova, leading public relations manager at the Beagle recruiting company.

“There are examples of cases,” says expert Maria Silina, head of the “Personnel Recruitment for the FMCG Market” department, “Agency Contact”, “when people have achieved such fame that they are known not only in the companies where they worked before , but also throughout the entire market."

Reputation in the hands of a business person is like a joker in a combination of skills, knowledge and experience. Such an employee has the opportunity to “break the bank.”

Who needs it?

There is a widespread belief that reputation is important mainly for directors, because they are most often in the spotlight. Their decisions have far-reaching consequences. Any success or failure of a leading executive causes widespread resonance. “Such extra cases can be both positive and negative, and, as a rule, this happens to people occupying top positions,” confirms Maria Silina.

Does this mean that professional reputation is not important for line employees? “Business reputation is also necessary for those employees who do not interact with external audiences. An employee who has the image of a professional in his field can be recommended to recruiters, and the chances that he will be lured to a position with more interesting conditions increase significantly,” says Anna Prostomolotova.

It is known, for example, that reputation good proofreader distributed to potential employers through " word of mouth" So even in the most modest position you can and should build a reputation.

Philosopher's Stone Recipe

How to create a reputation? Are there any rules here? What is required to enjoy the fame of a “golden” employee? “To create a business reputation, the following factors are necessary: ​​high professionalism, strong personal qualities, the ability to present oneself,” says Anna Prostomolotova.

Maria Silina also believes that professionalism is the key to a good reputation: “A person is glorified by his pronounced professional results.” The expert gave an example: “One of the candidates we worked with earlier came to a top position in a small Western company at that stage of its existence when it still occupied a very insignificant share of the Russian market. At that time in our country there were favorable economic conditions for business development, many companies have managed to achieve good results in their work. However, it was thanks to this man that his company took a leading position in its market within a few years. This man has an incredibly positive business reputation, thanks to which after some time he was offered a job in another company on much more favorable terms for him.”

As is known, basically professional achievements work and determination lie. To be on good standing, should be performed efficiently job responsibilities. You need to work year after year, because one of the most important components of reputation is professional experience. Even if you are not a top manager, you can make a name for yourself as an experienced and impeccable employee with all the ensuing consequences.

But personal qualities are no less important. To maintain a reputation, a professional must manage his character, and never vice versa. “There is a main rule - under no circumstances should you enter into conflict with your colleagues, especially with management. The importance of the system of relationships in a work team should not be underestimated. Everyone has conflict situations. Often we ourselves are not the initiators. When faced with such a problem, you should try to minimize the consequences and find a compromise. We must never forget about the need to follow the rules business ethics, even if leaving the company is not entirely smooth,” advises Maria Silina.

One of the recipes for a good reputation is respect for yourself and others. One of the subway foremen (by the way, a strong-willed, rude and unceremonious woman) took a dislike to the cashiers of one of the stations. In their reports, she looked for and found a huge number of small errors, which are almost inevitable in their work, wrote denunciations to her superiors and called the station a “disgrace.” Many employees could not stand her reprimands and quit. But the senior cashier, although she was a temperamental woman, behaved with dignity and did not respond to the foreman’s attacks with either servility or rudeness. By this she ensured that the station chief often, albeit verbally, took her side in conflicts. Soon, despite the efforts of the foreman, the station was recognized as exemplary.

The skill of presenting yourself lies in the ability to adapt to the situation. What is called “impression management” in the USA is the ability to make the right impression on different people. Naturally, each profession has its own requirements for appearance, behavior, character, etc. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the importance of the first impression: “To gain the audience’s favor and form an opinion of oneself as a professional, it takes time, and, neglecting the first impression, it’s quite difficult to rehabilitate yourself in the eyes of the audience,” says Anna Prostomolotova. So, for example, the indicator of a professional who works with calculations is logical judgment and careful appearance. If these conditions are met, for example, an accountant and, contrary to stereotypes, a programmer have a chance of a successful interview, even if he works from home. An account manager, who spends most of his time interacting with people, is expected to be sociable and have a positive attitude. These requirements are often specifically stipulated in the requirements for applicants.

It's easier to destroy than to create

We can talk for a long time about how to ruin a reputation. But is it worth it? There are a lot of ways, and humanity is constantly inventing new ones. Donald Trump said that a reputation can take twenty years to earn and be lost in five minutes. “A business reputation takes years to earn, but it only takes one wrong step to ruin it, and there are a huge number of options. It is enough to lose sight of one of its components and the whole picture will be lost,” agrees Anna Prostomolova.

The main thing to remember is that not everything that is allowed in free time, welcome at work. The professional sphere is merciless towards those who project their shortcomings onto it. For example, if an employee likes to drink or shows unhealthy attention to the opposite sex, management may not care. But if something like this happens in the office, then even the big boss can’t get away with such antics.

Often, it is the management that bears increased responsibility. Therefore, a leader must be especially attentive to his behavior. Anna Prostomolotova speaks about this: “There are many cases (mostly we are talking about small organizations) when the entire PR of a company is built on the image of its first person, and the manager spends most of his efforts on creating it. Of course, this attracts customers, but among them there are also those who want to find out what really stands behind the big words. Therefore, business reputation must always be confirmed by deep personal expertise and professional experience- without this “ bubble“bursts, disappointment and loss of trust sets in.”

Social networks pose some danger. It is no coincidence that there are many tips on the Internet on how to ruin your reputation on Twitter, Facebook, etc. If your page can be viewed by your boss, colleagues or clients, then it is better to think several times before posting reprehensible photos or using offensive language. Even if your behavior does not affect your work, the impression can be spoiled for a long time.

The purest reputation can be sullied once and for all. You can't leave a job where they don't know you well in order to start your career with a clean slate. “All self-respecting employers are sure to check references for their candidates, and this will not necessarily be a conversation with exactly the person whom the candidate indicated as a recommender. The market is not as big as it might seem, and it is quite possible that the potential manager knows someone very well from the candidate’s previous place of work,” warns Maria Silina. It follows from this that it is better to protect honor, including professional honor, from a young age!

Plays a vital role in creating a positive reputation. Don’t sit somewhere in a corner following someone’s instructions, but go towards new things, take the initiative, and be the first to start a conversation. Activity is exactly what will first of all lift you up as a team.

Be confident and don't be afraid of anything. Fear is the main enemy of your reputation, because it is what paralyzes you and stops you on the path to great things. You should be afraid of remaining in the shadows, but not of your own actions.

Start offering instead of asking. In general, forget about requests and such speech patterns as “could you,” “wouldn’t it be difficult for you,” and so on. But your offer should be one that cannot be refused, so think through everything in advance, weighing all the pros and cons.

Responsibility and discipline are the qualities that you need to cultivate in yourself. If you give your word, you must keep it. You should not have any lapses regarding punctuality and diligence. If you want to have a high reputation in the team, you must become, to some extent, a role model.

Emotional outbursts, hysterics, complaints, grievances and other qualities that are characteristic of children are not acceptable. If you raise your voice at people, don't expect their feelings towards you to be filled with respect; most likely, they will form the impression of you as an unbalanced person.

Be competent in the issues you are talking about. Today, all information is very easy to check short time, and if one day you express something that has no relation to reality, do not expect that in the future they will listen to you carefully.

Be positive, it should be visible on your face - calm and open. Listen, do not interrupt, be respectful to each person, then your mistakes and mistakes will be perceived more gently by people, because you did not pretend to be an inaccessible know-it-all, but communicated as equals, were friendly and attentive. In this case, your reputation will increase and begin to work for you, and your task will be to further maintain it.

Eric Qualman

1. Don’t post things that would embarrass you in front of your parents.

If you're trying to build a good reputation for yourself or your company, avoid challenging content.

Remember the rule: if something would embarrass your mother, don't do it offline and then post it online.

2. Focus on your target audience

Decide what audience you are posting to on social media. Decide what goals you are pursuing. The answer to the question “Who and what do I want to demonstrate?” will help simplify your life on the Internet.

We often want to be “everything to everyone.” Selecting your people and focusing on them is much easier and more productive.

3. Don't post gossip

Do not circulate unverified statements or rumors about colleagues and acquaintances on the Internet. The reputation of a gossip is very difficult to get rid of. Besides, if the rumor is denied, you will find yourself in an even more stupid position.

If offline you were talking about this in a whisper, do not publish it.

Eric Qualman, "Secure Network"

4. Be honest

Lies on the Internet are quickly exposed. Don’t try to embellish events, take credit for extra years of work experience, or appropriate the fruits of someone else’s labor.

Honesty also includes sincerity and courage to demonstrate your true beliefs, and not hide behind a false mask. Don't try to build a false beautiful image. Sooner or later the truth will be revealed. Better emphasize your real strengths and values. Or gradually acquire beneficial advantages. But don't imitate anything.

Honesty is what you do behind closed doors or when you think no one is looking. Honesty is the true essence of you, your beliefs and values.

Eric Qualman, "Secure Network"

5. Don't complain

Free your subscribers from complaining about the weather, health, the political system, or an impolite salesperson. Any whining transmits negative energy, drags you into meaningless arguments, and simply infects others with a bad mood.

6. Praise and thank someone every day

Don't skimp on positive comments and posts. If you liked the service, praise the company. A colleague helped with things - write a thank you post, emphasizing how important it is for you.

There is so much negativity on the Internet, be one of those rare people on the Internet who publish a lot of positive information. Give small compliments, give likes, encourage your friends on social networks - all this will create a reputation for you as a positive and positive person.

Research shows that posting positive information about others makes you happier.

Eric Qualman, "Secure Network"

7. Don't criticize in public

If a post of praise or gratitude can and should be published, then it is better to leave criticism until a personal meeting. Any comments in text format may seem harsher than you think. The nonverbal cues we send in face-to-face interactions soften criticism.

Nobody likes to be criticized, even the most constructive, especially in public. Forget about nitpicking comments, correcting spelling errors and other small and useless comments.

8. Correct mistakes, don't try to hide them.

If you have made a mistake online, do not deny it or justify yourself by shifting responsibility to others.

How you handle negative situations online has a serious impact on your reputation.

Eric Qualman, "Secure Network"

Did you slip up and do something unacceptable? Then follow these four steps:

1. Write an apology post, taking responsibility for the unpleasant action.
2. Let them know what you are willing to do to make amends.
3. Deliver what you promise.
4. Learn a lesson from what happened and draw conclusions.

The Internet knows more than a dozen cases when an attempt to hide a small mistake led to large scandals with revelations. Confess and make amends early on.

9. Put personal communication first

People treat people they meet in real life more favorably. Don’t limit your communication with subscribers or clients to the Internet only. If possible, hold group meetings or just go for coffee with someone you like.

If it is difficult to overcome the distance, use video and audio calls so that people hear your voice, intonation, see your face and accept.

10. Don't create separate profiles for work and for friends.

Many users have multiple social media profiles: one for work and another for friends. As a result, they seem to split their personality into an official and often feigned image for clients and partners, and a real one for friends and family.

You should not create two profiles for at least two reasons:

1. You risk losing yourself by hiding behind a fictitious “correct” image. This network bifurcation takes a lot of energy.
2. Your personal account is easy to find. Once your followers realize how different your official image is from your real one, an unfavorable contrast will be created. Therefore, try to combine and intelligently intertwine your informal hobbies and work image. Do not store anything on the Internet that does not fit into this portrait.

If you want to learn the rest of the rules for creating and maintaining a good reputation on the Internet, read Eric Qualman's book, “A Secure Web.” Rules for maintaining reputation in the era of social media and total publicity." The author illustrates the rules of conduct on social networks real stories from the lives of individuals and large companies. From the book you will learn what mistakes you have made on the Internet famous brands and high-ranking government officials, and also draw conclusions and start improving your reputation on the Internet today.