Three tips for establishing a good online reputation

Two out of three New Zealanders will Google a person before meeting with them for the first time. Which begs the question, what are your potential clients and business associates finding when they Google your name?

If you are not actively managing your online reputation, it will be developing organically which, it goes without saying, is a dangerous state to find yourself in. Image by jannoon028

By John Forde

"More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly." - Woody Allen

Photo by tungphoto

By Laetitia Smith

Can’t see the wood for the trees? Lucky you! Especially, as it turns out, if you’re trying to get your new product or concept accepted by a sluggish market.

When the going gets tough, it’s human nature for many of us to clam up a little while clinging desperately to the familiar. In light of the recent economic downturn then, how do you effectively market a new product or concept without being hit by a brick wall of negativity and resistance?

We’re always looking for that unique idea. That something that has never been done before – the one thing that will differentiate us from our competitors and catapult our business into the stratosphere. But is a new idea, such a good idea?

I’m not sure introducing unique or different products or services is actually the holy grail many of us think it is (although I concede it depends on the service or product).

Sometimes sticking with the traditional fish and chips is a surer way to business success. Let me explain…

Photo by: Franceso Marino

Do you remember what you were doing on 9/11, the day the Twin Towers fell? You probably do…

What's the bet you can't remember where you were the day before September 11?

That's because (says Boston College psychologist Elizabeth Kensinger) emotional experiences are more deeply 'engraved' into our memories than any other. Why is this important in marketing?

By Colin Kennedy

“90% of consumers online trust recommendations from people they know; 70% trust opinions of unknown users.” -- (Econsultancy, July 2009)

The most significant point of this statistic is that your prospects and customers trust the recommendations of people they have never met.