The recent Independence Day holiday gave me the opportunity to spend some time with my family and look back at our ancestors’ legacies.  What I found were awe-inspiring tales of hard working, determined individuals who endured many hardships, prevailing in the face of challenging circumstances. It got me thinking about brand reputation and what impression we, as PR and marketing professionals, are leaving behind.

With the growing influence of social media channels (Facebook has 901 million users and Twitter has 140 million users), there are more opportunities to reach influencers with our brand than ever. With that visibility also comes more possibilities for blunders.  According to the Temkin Group, 57 percent of consumers share their bad customer service experiences via email, phone or in person, as compared with 49 percent who share positive experiences.

Word of mouth is undoubtedly a powerful brand communication mechanism. It’s also a double-edged sword.  Savvy brands have plans in place to ensure internal and external communications remain positive and have corrective plans for when issues arise.  Client engagement is a goal for most brands today operating on social media, and much can be learned about your brand perception from social monitoring tools. If influencers are critical of your brand, that is an opportunity to respond and reset perceptions. Listening and responding in real-time to discussions about your brand will help shape the conversation going forward.

What lasting impression will your brand have?

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