reputation management

With more people working from home and sheltering in place, people are spending more time on social media – one report says global social media usage is up 21%. I know I am checking Facebook and LinkedIn more than I did before. But what I am seeing from some businesses is a bit concerning. Most…

Companies work hard to establish their brand, using valuable resources (time, people and money) to create a brand that will make their customers come back again and again. Yet it doesn’t take much to jeopardize that brand – a bad review on any number of online sites (Google, Glassdoor, Yelp, etc.) can wreak havoc. That…

It’s one thing to be assertive by clearly (and respectfully) stating your opinion, or politely trying to persuade someone to see things your way. But I would hope that most of us agree that there’s just no good reason for being rude. I think rudeness often comes when we think we’re better than others. An…

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all?” That was something I learned when I was growing up. And I think it’s still a good principle to keep in mind today. Too often, people just don’t think before writing an email or text, or…

Here’s a true story. A reporter wants to interview two experts for a story he is writing. He knows which organizations he wants to contact for those experts, so he finds them online and searches their website for either an online press room or information so he can make contact. He cannot easily find a…

I’m sure you already know that having an online presence is vital in today’s day and age. But many people don’t realize the importance of “owning” that presence. When I say that, I mean it’s not enough to just have an account on Facebook, or Twitter, or LinkedIn. It’s not enough to just have your…

I find myself using the phrase, “This could be highly dangerous,” on occasion. This comes up in different scenarios, such as taking a break from my desk to walk outside to the patio on a pleasant day, sitting down in a lounge chair and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. And I think to myself…

An employee who was fired for embezzlement starts circulating emails that inform people you are about to go out of business. A contractor is using your company email to send out solicitations to people to visit a fundraising campaign she has created. You are selling your business to a long-time, trusted employee and want to…

“Hey are you paying attention?” That’s what was going through my mind as I was stopped in busy traffic. My thought was directed at a young lady absorbed in her all-important mobile device and oblivious to the car ahead of me that was attempting to pull up a driveway into a Kmart parking lot. When…