MDS Resource — Digital Ad Agency

Tag: communication

  • Online Reputation Repair Can Be Avoided By Effective Online Reviews and Reputation Management

    Do You Know What People Are Saying About Your Business Online?

    What Is Online Reputation Management?

    Here’s Wikipedia’s definition of Online Reputation Management:

    Online reputation management is the act of monitoring, addressing or mitigating search engine result pages or mentions in online media and Web sphere content. It primarily involves tracking what is written about a client on the Internet, then utilizing sophisticated online and offline techniques in promoting positive and neutral content, while at the same time pushing down those links the sponsor may not want to show when their name is searched.

    Did you know the 2011 “Social Shopping Study” indicates that 50% of consumers spend 75% or more of their total shopping time conducting online product research? Furthermore:

    • 92% of Adult Buyers Regularly Check Online Reviews Before Purchasing
    • 70% of Consumers Trust Other Consumers’ Opinions That Are Posted Online

    Why Is Online Reputation Management Important?

    Marketing local business online flourishes because the whole world is coming online, too.

    1. Your prospects are online
    2. Your competitors are online
    3. Your customers are online
    4. That includes your unhappy customers, too!

    The Internet Has Changed Everything !?!?

    Local small business marketing has benefited in so many ways from the Internet. However, the online universe has also empowered consumers.

    • Before the Internet, businesses delivered their messages to consumers via one-way communication channels that they controlled (think – TV commercials)
    • Business NO longer completely control their message!
    • Thanks to the Internet, everyone comments on business messages via blogs, social media, customer reviews, etc.

    What Are People Saying About Your Business?

    Your company’s online reputation is being discussed:

    1. By former employees
    2. By bloggers
    3. On forums
    4. On social media
    5. In customer reviews

    Online Reputation Is Crucial For The BIG BOYS, Too!

    Don’t believe me? Google the company names for which these all too common
    namesakes sprang up:

    • www.walmartsucks.org
    • www.homedepotsucks.com

    What Are The Negative Effects Of A Bad Online Reputation?

    1. Bad customer experience
    2. Unresolved customer issues
    3. Bad reputation
    4. Lost revenue

    What Can Happen If You Don’t Repair Your Tarnished Online Reputation?

    Internet marketing for small business needs every advantage possible to succeed. A tarnished name puts you at great risk.

    1. You could lose existing customers
    2. New customers may be difficult to find
    3. Your business can suffer financial loss
    4. You could go out of business!

    What Happens When You Repair & Defend Good Reputation?

    1. Your positive good online reputation stands out from the crowd
    2. You will retain existing customers
    3. You will get new customers easily
    4. Your positive brand image will be credible & authoritative!

    How To Maintain Your Online Reputation

    Marketing your business online is about building and nourishing relatinships. So, too, is reputation management.

    1. Be proactive instead of reactive
    2. Monitor online conversations about your business
    3. Respond and interact with consumers online
    4. Regularly create and distribute positive content

    What Are The Benefits Of Actively Seeking Online Reviews?

    Actively seeking online reviews from satisfied customers is certain to:

    • Boost conversions, and
    • Provide feedback about your product or service

    Consumers trust and expect online reviews and, seeing them, will gravitate to your business.

    How To Get Customer Reviews To Build Or Repair Reputation

    Referrals and new sales leads continue to be your ultimate goal. What better way to build social proof than to ask for a review?

    1. Survey all of your customers for feedback all of the time
    2. Offer incentives in exchange for reviews (e.g., coupons, discounts, free samples)
    3. Ask customers to review products by placing calls-to-action on your product pages
    4. Send customers to your business listings on Google Places, Yelp, CitySearch, etc.
    5. Link your business listing profiles to your website

    Always Create Positive, Branded Content To Promote Reputation!

    Flood the first search engine results pages with positive, branded content:

    • Your well-ranked website must be the first result for your company name
    • On-going search engine optimization (SEO) for all of your webpages
    • Videos, press releases, photos, articles, etc. promoting your good name
    • Tips, tools, helpful tutorials & other useful content for your visitors

    Monitor Online Conversations For The First Line Of Reputation Defense

    Find out what people are saying about your business:

    • Do a Google search for your business name …
    • What do you find when you search for you?
    • Check articles, blogs, forums & customer review sites
    • Frequently check your own blog & website for comments
    • Pay close attention to the social network sites

    Reputation Repair Requires Response & Interaction

    1. Listen to what people are saying
    2. Be respectful
    3. Display a helpful & friendly demeanor
    4. Respond to both positive and negative comments
    5. Always quickly offer solutions to problems

    Why Respond & Interact To Fix Online Reputations?

    • It builds relationships
    • It allows you to actively manage & control your brand
    • It allows other people to see your point of view
    • It shows that you care

    You do care, don’t you?

    How To Repair Your Reputation

    Do you already have negative online comments and reviews?

    1. Make brand optimization your main focus
    2. Use SEO to drive negativity further down the SERP’s
    3. Create and publish videos, press releases & articles
    4. Create a blog — regularly publish fresh & unique content
    5. Engage in social media to build a loyal & eager following

    How to Improve & Fix Your Online Reputation

    1. Ask for negative reviews to be removed
    2. Promptly address issues
    3. Don’t ignore unhappy customers
    4. Don’t argue with customers
    5. Know when to walk away
    6. You cannot please everyone!

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

  • Reputation Management: 10 Things You Can Do To Repair Your Online Reputation

    Reputation Management And Your First Impression

    Who says you never get a second chance to make a first impression? Indeed, you may have a second chance, especially if that first chance was taken from you. In this world where your reputation is everything and your name is far more than mere label, reputation management is a business necessity.

    Internet media is complicated. Now we are all exemplary publishers and we the people build and extend the Internet a little bit more every day! Not only can anybody contribute; but, there are no rules regulating what is said, in which venue and how close any of it is to truth.

    Who’s to stop a vindictive person from anonymously complaining online where everybody can see it? Often, by anonymous, it’s true that many of these complainers hide behind a shroud because they cannot withstand the slightest scrutiny. Did you ever know somebody who complains every chance they get? Far from a majority, it only takes one acerbic comment to destroy a beautifully constructed reputation. One bad review from one disgruntled or obnoxious trouble maker and years of carefully crafted integrity can come tumbling down.

    How Can You Repair Online Reputation?

    So, what can you do to put Humpty Dumpty back together again? Can you really repair a damaged online reputation? Yes, you can repair online reputations. Is it as simple as removing negative online reviews?

    Sadly, no. For the most part, bad reviews are probably carved in Internet stone. But, one bad apple is no reason to throw out the whole bushel.

    Ten Effective Reputation Management Practices

    1. Review Sites

      Review sites, also known as citation sites, are essential to successful reputation management. When people see stars on business reviews, it is social proof that your business has very positive fans. Five stars clearly indicate a winner! Three stars leave people thinking average and so-so.


      What do you think when you see a one or two star rating?

      One way to repair an online reputation is to amass as many five star ratings as possible on many different sits.

    2. Blogs

      Blogs continue to be extremely popular communications tools. Whereas, many estimates count as many blogs as United States population, that number is less important than how business benefits from blogs. Whereas, web pages are intended to present static facets of your business, blog posts are quite different. Blogging allows you to present the day-to-day elements of your business, such as events, success stories and milestones.

      Furthermore, your public audience is invited to comment on and interact with your business through your blog. Therefore, blogs become a chronology of the good things about your business and how your public responds to them over time. A continuous stream of great news eventually removes the effect of negative online reviews.

    3. Pictures

      Yes, a picture is worth at least a thousand words! Even Google recognizes images as their own search category. All else equal, people browsing on the Internet are far more likely to look at pictures than read text.


      Don’t you want your audience to see clean images of your company and happy, smiling faces?

      Cleanup your online reputation by positioning a plethora of positive images high in search results. Basic search engine optimization of your images includes:

      • Main keyword in the image filename
      • Main keyword in the HTML alt tag
      • Keywords in the image description
      • Keywords in the image caption
      • Position images on the page in context

  • Video Testimonials

    Whereas, images are powerful, video is the single most powerful medium on the Internet! So much so, that Google often favors videos over most other online properties in the search results. Have you ever searched and found those remarkable video thumbnails on the 1st search results page?

    We all know that Testimonials are the best marketing promotion you can have, right? Video Testimonials are the most persuasive of all Testimonials. Keep it succinct, to the point and as specific as can be. Then, of course, position your Video Testimonials where they can be easily found and viewed.


    Who will remember that anonymous bad review?

  • Press Releases

    Tell everybody who is anybody what’s going on with your business. Press releases announce noteworthy events and accomplishments. They are designed to attract news media attention, so they can help you spread the word to a larger audience.

    The fact is, you always want a lot of positive attention for your business. You need even more when you’re recovering from bad reviews. Regular press releases help:

    • Generate traffic to your website
    • Give your company more visibility
    • Build your brand
    • Provide credibility and authority

  • Nullify Negative Keywords

    It’s a fact: Many Americans start their fact-finding and decision-making on the Internet. That’s good, isn’t it? Isn’t that why you’re on the web to begin with? They search and when they find you, you have a sales opportunity.

    However, when the 1st search results page includes links associating your company with “scam,” “scammers” and bad reviews, many people cannot get past the negativity. Instead, they use the back button and browse elsewhere.

    Your job, then, is to fill that 1st search results page with positive links to your business, whether they be blog posts, YouTube videos, Facebook or citations. The point is, if you have only one reference to your business on a search results page, there are many more opportunities for negativity. Bury a bad review with many positive references to you.

  • Local News

    Your business is part of your local community, isn’t it? How do you participate in your community? Have you contributed to a church group, civic activity or food drive? Do you partner with businesses down the block? Can you help celebrate and appreciate success stories in your neighborhood?

    The local Internet is a great source for local directories, special offers and collaborative opportunities with other local businesses. One of Facebook’s most powerful features facilitates “tagging” other business pages. Celebrate the best of your community online and ask other businesses to do the same. This will demonstrate your positive place in the community.

  • Thread Authority

    Often times, you can participate in forums to express your authority in your field and build credibility. Find a local forum or one specifically about your industry and look for opportunities to help and provide information. When you see a discussion to which you can add value, forget your sales pitch and simply offer great advice and free information.

    When time is right, start a discussion, again offering great advice and free information. You may also write an article to guest blog on some other blog and get a whole new audience remarking about your credibility and perceived authority.

  • Facebook

    Whereas, your website is mostly about your company and what you have to say about it, social media is primarily about what others have to say about you. Facebook is king of social media now, its members being the 3rd largest country in the world:

    1. China
    2. India
    3. Facebook
    4. United States

    Properly managing social media is a critical part of building your reputation in the community. Facebook done right is social proof, whether that be a Like, Share or simply interacting on your Wall. When many people are positively interacting with your Facebook page, newcomers start their relationship with you on a very positive note. Positive social media engagement and interaction is a powerful buffer to negative reviews that may be found elsewhere.

  • LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world. Thread authority, mentioned above, is especially applicable here, too. By participating in Groups and LinkedIn Answers, you can quickly increase credibility and be seen as an authority in your field.

    LinkdeIn Recommendations, however, warrant mention here as an extremely powerful tool to present positive Testimonials. Whereas, elsewhere reviews and Testimonials are often veiled in anonymity, LinkedIn Recommendations cannot be anonymous. Furthermore, since LinkdedIn members are exclusively professionals, their Recommendations are imbued with professional credibility.


    Nothing squashes an anonymous bad review like a recommendation from a credible professional!

    • Reputation Management Is More Than Putting Out Fires

    Although, you may not be able to remove bad reviews, certainly there are many ways to distract prospects with glowing references to your company. Truly, it takes a lot of work to build a good name and very little to destroy it!

    It’s been said that the best defense is a great offense. The simplest reputation management is to build a wall of glowing reviews before any bad review appears. Short of that, you now see many ways you can repair your online reputation once it’s tarnished.

    Call Now
    Answer Questions: 612-235-6060

  • WARNING: Minneapolis Local Business Wants To Be Found By Enough Of The Right People

    What's In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?
    What's In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is the brainchild of a local entrepreneurs who want to promote business growth in the greater Twin Cities metro area. Introducing business owners to each other and to local residents, we hope to kick start our local economy. The Forum is totally free and without obligation. Unlike other recent initiatives, we want you to remember that free bit. This is our commitment to you. That and, in exchange for your participation, we promise to deliver to you value that you are not likely to get elsewhere regardless of price. This community has given us so much and we are giving back to you, our community, with this mastermind group.

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is About Free Exposure and Prosperity

    Minneapolis Local Business Forum focuses on providing ideas, strategies and tactics to grow your business. There is no free lunch; but, by banding together, we can act together today to promote and grow our businesses. Our forum is an opportunity for free exposure, valuable contacts and invaluable promotion for every business owner who decides to participate. This endeavor can only work for all of us when all of us contribute. In addition to solving your most difficult problem, others will benefit from the problems you have already solved. Participation in Minneapolis Local Business Forum can hook you up with other local business owners who could:

    • Complement your own skills
    • Provide contacts
    • Possibly use your services

    How can you help us get the word out to your local business neighbors?

    Although our goal is to jumpstart business throughout the Twin Cities, we are focusing on our own backyard now: Golden Valley, New Hope and Plymouth. Your credibility in this community is extremely valuable to us. Your help in promoting the forum helps your own business growth. Please, help.

    What’s In The Minneapolis Local Business Forum for YOU?

    Of course, you want to know, What’s in it for you? There are no guarantees. However, it’s widely known that “two heads are better than one!” Who knows? You and your business could:

    1. Make new friends and strategic partnerships.
    2. Identify possible vendors and clients.
    3. Solve problems with like minded professionals.
    4. Be recognized for your expertise.
    5. Showcase your business to eager buyers.

    Some Minneapolis Local Business Forum Tangible Benefits

    Yes, we want to grow our businesses, too. We are local entrepreneurs, just like you and everybody we are inviting to this group. In exchange for meeting you and sharing ideas, following are some of what we offer to you:

    1. Free exposure for your business.
    2. Free membership in the Minneapolis Local Business Forum.
    3. Free listing on the Minneapolis Local Business Forum website.
    4. Free video commercial about your business on your listing.
    5. Free Minneapolis Local Business Forum Facebook promotion.
    6. Free Minneapolis Local Business Forum Twitter promotion.
    7. Free access to our Minneapolis Local Business Forum LinkedIn group.

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum is Opportunity Knocking On YOUR Door

    But, you MUST participate. The Mayors of Golden Valley and New Hope have expressed their support for our forum and are actively recruiting local businesses. All business owners in our community are cordially invited to attend our inaugural meeting which will be:

    Tuesday, September 13, 2011

    6 to 7 PM (5-6 PM videos)

    Master Communications Group

    3410 Winnetka Avenue

    Back Entrance (East)

    New Hope, MN 55427

    The Minneapolis Local Business Forum Website Is All About YOU

    At that meeting we are unveiling our website. Listings are free of charge for local business owners and include a complementary video clip about each business and business owner shot by local videographer Master Communications Group. Come early (5:00pm) to our first meeting and we will walk you through their free video at that time.

    Please, Join Us At The Minneapolis Local Business Forum Inaugural Meeting

    We would love to see you, too, on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 5:00-7PM. We very much look forward to meeting you so we can exchange ideas, share experiences and generally support one another in a proactive and relaxed fashion. Thank you, for your esteemed participation.

    Call Now

    Answer Minneapolis Local Business Questions: 612-235-6060

    Call MDS Resource For Special Offer Now: 612-235-6060

  • Give Me Local Small Business Marketing And I’ll Whip My Dreams Into Profitable Business Over Night

    Dream Local Small Business Marketing Profits
    Dream Local Small Business Marketing Profits

    If local small business marketing is unfamiliar to you, look at it this way. The target of every business is to get the word out to the maximum number of people to maximize marketplace exposure. In business, market exposure correlates with sales.

    Go Online With Local Small Business Marketing

    Today in our cyber era, having an effective online presence is of utmost importance. As people spend more and more time in front of the computer, chances are better and better that they will search online for the products and services that they will buy. The Internet allows small business owners to display your expertise directly to eager buyers. Unlike traditional media like billboards, television advertising and Yellow Pages, with online media local small business marketing no longer requires huge amounts of money.

    Local Small Business Marketing Is Affordable

    It’s true! There are some really cool ways to promote your local business, many of which are free, to attract the targeted leads you desire. Here are some of the methods:

    • Create web pages that feature keywords specific to your particular products and services. What do we mean by “keyword?” Anticipate what eager buyers type into the search engine box before they click [Search]. Savvy buyers are getting savvier. With local small business marketing you want to attract local customers.
    • Make sure to choose terms that people will look for to find local products and services. For example, if you own a Detroit furniture business, you don’t want to target phrase “furniture.” It’s too generic. Google it yourself and see 257 MILLION web pages containing that word. Instead, Detroit buyers will type the phrase “detroit office furniture” and search. Now I find 700 thousand competitive web pages and also that local map featuring local furniture merchants.
    • Build a blog and they will come. Your blog is the ideal way to tell your story and interact with an interested audience. You know? I know you’re great telling your story and persuading prospects sitting across the table from you. Write each blog post that way, as if you’re eyeball-to-eyeball with the largest possible audience. And they will hear your story today, tomorrow and next year — when they’re ready to hear it. Once you’re done writing your post, bookmark it in social book marking sites like Digg.com and StumbleUpon.com to promote even more traffic.
    • Last but not least, don’t forget a Facebook fan page. Now that Facebook is the third largest country in the world (China, India, Facebook, United States …) your Fan page facilitates keeping up with your customers regardless where they are. Local small business marketing benefits from Facebook patrons Like-ing your page and telling the world how great you are. Local patrons frequenting Facebook are more likely to pay attention to your local business when privy to your popularity. Additionally, Facebook facilitates instant communication with your audience whenever you do something noteworthy, like a special event or a special promotion.

    Dream Big With Local Small Business Marketing

    As local business marketing becomes easier and more familiar to you, eager buyers will notice. To maximize marketplace exposure your local business must be found. In business, market exposure correlates with sales. What do you have to lose by dreaming big and making local small business marketing an overnight sensation?

  • How I Anticipate Eager Buyers Shopping For What I Offer And Convert Them Into New Sales Leads

    How Do You Benefit New Sales Leads?
    How Do You Benefit New Sales Leads?

    New sales leads are the crème of every business. Knowing the demand for your product is essential to be able to generate sales leads. It is a known fact that businesses survive and flourish on sales. New sales leads are the oxygen business breathes. How do you anticipate those shopping for what you offer?

    Market Research Discovers New Sales Leads

    Every business irrespective of size and type must conduct thorough market research about your industry. Perceiving the attributes of your market equips you with intricate details about it. Understanding the exact requirements and wants of your customers helps you serve them better. Once you see and know your buyer personae, tell your business story to the right people and new sales leads will come to you.

    New Sales Leads Are Also Aware Of Your Competition

    Market research also provides competitive analytics. With this information you can understand where to reposition your brand to achieve a competitive edge over your competition that will generate new sales leads. What do you have that benefits your customers more than what your competition offers?

    Marketing To New Sales Leads

    Communicating your main benefits to your customers is of utmost importance. To explain this better, let’s look closely at the 4 P’s of Marketing:

    • Product — As explained earlier, knowing about the market dynamics equips you with diverse knowledge and helps you to position your product and service everywhere consumers are shopping for it. Redevelopment and re-engineering of your product in light of consumer demand is necessary to capture new sales leads. Furthermore, to induce repeat sales and referrals, give your customers reason to come back for more.
    • Price — The price of your offering should reflect its value to your customers. Setting high prices without commensurate value will simply drive customers away. Even selling premium products, keep the high price in line with the perceived benefits. This not only attracts the cream crowd but also substantially increase your revenues. Truth be told, new sales leads are less concerned with price and more with what’s in it for them.
    • Place — This is the location where you sell your offering, the distribution channel. Again make sure that your business is convenient to your customers and reduce their effort to the minimum. Your distribution system must be devoid of middle men. Proper replenishment of stock is necessary to avoid customer dissatisfaction and keep up with demand. New sales leads benefit from you being at the right time and place.
    • Promotion — Perhaps, the most important aspect of generating new sales leads is your communication strategy. Based on your audience and product, marketing communications should nurture relationships. Whether you’re advertising or promoting sales, your desired result is to anticipate eager buyers shopping for what you offer. For example, during a sales lull, offering discounts and incentives will continue your revenue stream and keep customers interested in you, your business and your products.

    How Do You Benefit New Sales Leads?

    Generating new sales leads is a must for every business to survive in today’s cut-throat competitive world. Although it may seem more of an art than a science, knowing the benefits your best customers seek is a sure way to garner new sales leads.