Establishing a Reputation Through Social Media

Reputation management for a business is one of those things that a lot of  businesses do not think about investing in but is very necessary. Most companies don’t even think of it when things are going well with your business, but  why would they? Who wants to think of what could happen scenarios? The sad reality is It only takes only one bad review or unsatisfied customer to affect your business and its reputation, especially these days with the rise of internet traffic. The one thing  you don’t want to have happen is a bad review coming  up first for a web result. This is why building a reputation through social media and other platforms is so important.  That is why you have to look at reputation management as an on going strategy that you need to invest in. Here are some easy ways to use the top online marketing strategies to put out good content about your business which will ensure that the best reviews and content  about your business always rise to the top of search engines.

Content Marketing to Build A Good  Reputation

Content marketing has become an essential part of any business these days. Most businesses have been taking advantage of blogging, infographics, podcasting, and videos to boost exposure for their business. The object is to produce quality content interest prospective clients.

Here are some key ways to make sure that your content works at protecting your reputation.

1. Google Authorship. If you’re working to protect your personal name, Google Authorship can be a big help to you and your business. If you have a Google+ profile, just simply follow the directions on how to link your profile to the content you create. This will help Google know that the content is yours and put your name, photo, and link back to your profile next to any pieces of content it can connect to you.
2. Make Sure to Get Your Name and Business in the Title of the content You Make. One of the best ways to make content come up quickly when people search your name or your business is to add it in the title. Consider naming your company after something that people will commonly search for, but is unique enough it will come to the top of the search.
3. Create separate domains. Companies who are actively working on their reputation management tend to create different domains for different purposes. For example: GoDaddy.com,  has separate domains for their Executive Chairman’s blog, charity work, tutorials, and a community for their business owners. That makes sense, they really don’t want to be associated with the site directly because their Executive Chairman’s blog and charity work are two totally separate divisions and types of content than what their main site’s reputation and content is.
4. Get mentioned in the media. Ever wonder how some people and businesses get mentioned in major media outlets? Well, stop wondering and start making it happen by subscribing to HARO. They offer varying levels of subscription from free on up.They send out emails with requests from reporters looking to get input for their upcoming articles, interviews and blog posts. Make sure to get mentioned on a big enough site and you are bound to show up in search results.
5. Do some guest blogging. Particularly look for sites that allow you to have a dedicated author page… Here are two free sites and their details to get you started.

• BloggerLinkUp: members receive e-mails three times a week that list host bloggers looking for expert sources, guest posts and product reviews. Interested writers then respond directly to the requestors with their proposed content. The website notes its intent is to provide leads and introductions, leaving the guest blogging matchmaking up to the writers and host bloggers via exchange of and sifting through e-mails.
• My Blog Guest :links guest bloggers and blog owners together with no costs for either party. Guest authors retain ownership of their content and agree not to publish the same content on any other blogs, to keep the writing provided to the hosting site unique and original. This site places an emphasis on guest blogging as a way to build your reputation and relationships in a particular subject area.

Social Media Marketing for Reputation

Next forum to help you to build your reputation is social media. This one is pretty simple and easy - if you want to use social media to build a positive reputation online you have to  create social media profiles for yourself and your business, but you need to keep them active and up to date. This means that you need to take the time to put in the effort to maintain them. Social media is useful only when it is relevant. So if you aren’t going to keep it up to date with by sharing content, then it’s not going to be an effective tool for your business.

Here are the Top social networks you need to consider for establishing a Reputation (most of these will allow you to have an idea of traffic to your site as well as analytics for your business)

1. Facebook – Personal Profiles, Business Pages, Groups, and Apps.
2. Twitter – Profiles for yourself and your business.
3. LinkedIn – Professional Profiles, Company Pages, and Groups.
4. Google+ – Personal Profiles, Business Pages, and Local Places.
5. Pinterest – Personal Profiles and the new Business Profiles.
6. YouTube – Profiles for yourself and your business.

The best part about having all of these social networks is that you can use them to promote the content you are creating. The more relevant the pieces of content are, the more likely it is to rank well in search for your name or your business.

Search Engine Marketing for Reputation Management

The whole idea behind using social media for building a reputation is to make sure your company ranks well in search results. It is also  to make sure positive information about you and your business top your results when prospective clients look you up. So you need to apply the same boosting strategies to your content and social profiles that you would to anything you want to rank well in a search like your company’s website. This includes the following.

1. Interlinking everything that is relevant to your business. Include social profile links on your blogs, internal links from one piece of content to another, links to your blogs from your main website, and so forth.
2. Building links to your content and social profiles is important and making sure they have relevant up to date information is essential. Look for opportunities to add links to your blogs and social profiles anywhere you can naturally. Networking to do guest posts or author bios, and group communities are good places to start putting out good content and create an interest for your company.
3. Encouraging others to link to your blogs and social profiles. By accepting requests from people on social media sites and blog post will help you to build closer community with your customers and allow you to answer questions and build interest with fellow communities and build your reputation with them as well.

In today’s marketplace you have to make a social presence  and the only way to do that is to establish a reputation through social media. Utilizing these different types of social media platforms will allow you to establish positive content that will make your business stick out and rise above your competition, and  It will also allow customers  to realize your business is a  legitimate one that has real people and a store not just a website and no employees.

Accounting: Cash vs. Accrual

One of the biggest factors in getting a system is your accounting method. There are two types of methods which are Cash Basis and Accrual Basis. Knowing which type of method your business runs off may affect how you view getting a system. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are the standards used in the United States to provide uniformed accounting and financial statements. GAAP approves the accrual, not the cash basis, method of accounting. However, many non-incorporated small businesses use the cash method of accounting with no problems. When a small business starts to grow, getting loans and investors, it may consider using the accrual method  which is mandatory if your business has sales of more than $5 million, or if you have inventory and sales of $1 million on an annual basis. It is important you understand the two different systems and their  principal methods of how they track income and expenses. The big difference in these two system is the timing in which your sales and purchases are a credited and debited to your accounts.

Here is how each method works:  

Cash-basis accounting: Expenses and revenues aren't carefully matched on a month-to-month basis. Expenses aren't recognized until the money is actually paid out, even if the expenses are incurred in previous months; and revenues earned in previous months aren't recognized until the cash is actually received. However, cash-basis accounting excels in tracking the actual cash available.

Accrual accounting:

Expenses and revenue are matched, providing a company with a better idea of how much it's spending to operate each month and how much profit it's making. Expenses are recorded (or accrued) in the month incurred, even if the cash isn't paid out until the next month. Revenues are recorded in the month the project is complete or the product is shipped, even if the company hasn't yet received the cash from the customer. The accrual method is a GAAP approved accounting practice, gives a better idea of real income and expenses within a time period, and gives a clear long-term picture of the business, unlike the cash method. The disadvantage is that cash flow not always clear. If you don’t have a “buffer” in your bank account, you could potentially put yourself in a cash poor situation.

Each accounting method has its benefits and limitations. Many accounting packages allow you to switch between calculating reports in cash or accrual basis at the click of a button. Understanding basic cash flow reports will help you with day-to-day management. Using the accrual method will give you better insight into past performance and future forecasting (which aids in planning for business growth). It is recommended that you use a mix of the two methods internally so you can have a both a “big picture” and a daily realistic view of your company’s income and expenses.

After Purchase Care

After Purchase Care: Making sure you have good customer support is essential to compete in today’s global market.This is why you should ask your partner what support and services they offer after the initial purchase to maintain your Point of Sale solution. Keeping your system operating and running smoothly is what always allows you to get that edge on the competition and boost your profit line. Most service plans require a monthly or yearly support fee, but it is worth it to spend to keep your system running in top condition. Why would you buy a top of the line system if you are not going to maintain it and get the most out of the functions it offers.

Here are a few things you should look for in your Partner’s support services.

1. Off hour phone services and support
2. Training and Classes
3. Remote support  
4. Onsite services

Although starting on-going support seems expensive after your initial implementation, it is crucial to your investment. You need to make sure you establish a budget for maintaining your system. This was why when you were looking for a partner you need to compare costs and policies for ongoing support and training; keeping up with these two aspects will allow you to get ahead of your competition and keep your business growing and your profits rising. Some partners offer support contracts and discounted rates for prepaid blocks, but most run off an hourly fee that is charged for their support. Partners need to charge for even very short support calls - this will reduce long term costs by fixing small problems before they cause big issues. Fixing small problems and keeping your system working at peak performance will save you money in the long run. Note: If your partner has the technology to remotely connect to your system without leaving their office, it will significantly reduce your support costs. I know it is nice to have a face-to-face meeting when dealing with support and services, but if you want to save money, let your partner support you remotely. It will save you fees on travel as well as time.

Here are some good questions to ask your partner:

1. What is your partner’s billing policy? Are you billed weekly, monthly, annually? Can you pre-purchase time, and is there an advantage in doing so? Are you charged any fees in addition to the service rate?
2. What is their billing policy for travel time? Travel policies can vary, so make sure you find out whether you will be billed for one way or round trip, actual time or fixed time.
3. When you call for support, will you be billed an hour minimum, or do they break calls down into smaller increments?
4. How do you plan to handle down-time? Is there a way to have necessary updates and enhancements added on a regular basis without interfering with sales, and without paying through the nose to have it done after hours?
5. When was the last time your partner increased their hourly rates? Do they increase them annually? Knowing things like this will help you budget for ongoing costs.
6. How many people do they have that are dedicated to supporting their product specifically? Making sure they have a staff capable of servicing you as well as their other clients is important because, if you call in for support and the person is busy with another customer and he is the only person who knows your system, getting your problem solved in a timely manner could become an issue! Make sure your partner has the means to facilitate their customer’s needs.
7. Does your partner have a system in place that tracks your support calls? A partner who tracks your support requests with a service management tool tends to be more organized and offer better support.
8. Who will provide support for any new modifications, modules or applications? How would this be billed? Many good point of sale systems have most features integrated, but there may be some applications or modules that come from a third party source. It is important to know who will source the applications you are interested in, how/who you will pay for maintenance, and who to call if you need help

Your partners job is to service and support your equipment as well as make sure your system is running in top peak performance. Their job is to help guide you on the system and teach you how to get the most out of your investment. Any type of investment whether, it is a car, guitar or Point of Sale system, has to eventually get tuned and maintained.Knowing this,be sure to  establish a budget for maintaining your system in order to get the most out of it.

Planning for Your Project Implementation

Now that you have decided on the best system for your business, have evaluated the different companies  and the services they offer,  and have chosen the best company to partner with, it is time to get serious. A successful system implementation requires dedication and attention from, not only your new partner, but also from you and your staff. It is important to designate a point person, or system administrator, within your company. The System Administrator will oversee the project, attend all planning meetings and participate in all training. Designating a point person for the project will allow for consistent communications between your company and your partner, and ensure you have a valuable resource within your company that will be familiar enough with the software to provide the first line of support, as well as training to new employees, which reduces support costs in the long run.

For a successful implementation, there are three main components to be aware of: an overall implementation plan, setup and configuration, and training.

Fixed bid implementation: This is what we in the business like to refer to as a marriage made in Vegas. These generally come with strict parameters and one person or both usually end up frustrated and disappointed.  

Agile implementation packages: Most companies use this system which is estimated number of hours based on their experience with setting up similar environments. Note you will be billed for the actual time spent on the project, typically this is by the hour. This is also why it is good to compare and know the hourly rate of your partner not just the total project cost because any time outside of what was agreed upon will cost you money. Ask your software provider about Service Plans, which generally offer lower hourly rates for time outside the scope of the project.

Whichever implementation model you and your partner decide, a detailed plan will be made. Tasks will be allocated to both parties, and there will be a timeline that will need to be adhered to in order to ensure implementation is completed by the date you have decided upon (your go “live” date).

When planning your implementation, here are some questions to get you started:

1. How many implementations have you done similar to mine in size and scope?
2. Can you explain what is included in the initial setup?
3. Ask for a breakdown of how much time is estimated for each step of the implementation process?

Data conversion: In any implementation service quote is data conversion. Companies often overlook the importance of this step and end up with an unexpected charges. The most important data to bring into your new system are your customer records, item records and vendor records. Before you start  bringing data into your new system, you need to minimize the amount of data you plan to convert. An upfront investment of your time to clean up those records can lead to a time and cost savings during the data conversion process. Also, be sure to get a template from your partner to aid you in preparing a compatible data file prior to conversion.

It is important to remember, you will not lose the data from your old system. Provided you own it outright, you can keep your old software on your server for as long as you need the archival data. You can also store data in hard copy form.

Training: Knowing how to use your new system effectively is the key to making your investment worthwhile. This is the one area you don’t want to skimp on. Make sure the partner you have chosen includes a sufficient training package in their proposal, or it will cost you more money for support later down the road. For the best results your partner will set up a test company for the purpose of training using your own company’s data, without messing with your actual system.

When asking about training ask these questions:

1. What training is included in the proposal?
2. Who will provide my training?
3. What data will be used for training?
4. Does your partner have a training facility for group training?

After the implementation and preliminary training is over, you may have a need to train new employees. A “train the trainer” method has been found to be the most cost effective solution. Ideally, you would want your System Administrator to act as the “trainer.”

Now you are ready to take part in a successful implementation project. Stay involved and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Moving Beyond the System To Evaluate The Company

Now that you have evaluated the types of systems and the features they offer and established a budget for this project, you should feel comfortable narrowing your search down to the  top three systems for your business. We must now look deeper to what lies  beyond the software and hardware to evaluate the right company for your business. You want to find one that will suit your growing needs. When looking for a business of this magnitude, one must look at the reputation  as well as the amount of years of experience in this field because the last thing you want is to pay for software and services and have the company you invested in just disappear and go out of business. Another factor to think about is the fact  that you are trusting this company with all of your data, such as customer records.  So you can never be too careful about the company you choose. Here are some questions you want to check before investing in a company:

1. How many companies are using the system?
2. Is the company financially stable?
3. What is their reputation in the industry?
4. How many years of experience do they have in that business?

Make sure to Research the Company:  In this industry there are a lot of software companies that come and go each year, it's very important to research the company as well as the software - I can’t stress this enough. Start with companies you have heard of and that are well  established with a good track record in the areas (listed below). You want to purchase your system from a reputable company with significant amount of years of  experience in the retail industry. Make sure the company you choose stands behind the products they sell. When talking to the company you should  ask if they offer theses key services:

After-Hours Technical Support?

1. Feature Enhancements?
2. Critical Software Updates?
3. Extended Warranty Protection?
4. Training Packages and/or Classes?

These will help you establish whether a company is a good fit for your business . knowing what kind of  services they offer their customers is important.  Knowing how they take care of their customers and supporting their needs is important even though it is something you should expect would be a top priority.  Remember  you are going to have to form a business relationship with this company because they are going to be maintaining and supporting your system. Make Sure To Request References and Call Them: These questions are what you should ask the company you are considering to sell and support your system. 

1.  How many customers are using their system and please name a few companies?
2. What types of services are they supplying for those particular customers? 
3. How many customers do they have in a similar industry as yours?

What issues do the customers in a similar business face a lot of and why?        What types of services are they supplying for those particular customers?  Make sure when they give you the companies to reference you put in the time to call them. That way you have a better idea of how they treat their customers, not just from the vendor’s point of view, but  from a customer’s point of view.  Also, by doing this, it will give you  insight on what type of service they give to their companies and what kind of support they offer. 

What You Should Ask Their Customers

1. How well does the system work in a retail environment?
2. How well do they train you to use the product and the features?
3. How quick does their support team respond to your needs?

When looking at these types of companies you want to find a knowledgeable, well established business  that will be able to support your investment. This company should be capable of  implementing your system in a timely manner to your specific needs and training you to use the software to help you effectively get the most out of your investment. You really have to be careful who you choose to trust, and must look at this partnership as more of a marriage because  you aren’t just buying a product online that comes out of the box where you have to configure it yourself. You are purchasing a system with services; people who will stand behind their product and support it.