| |
| |
|
PR Information |
|
The Ratings are Coming
Small businesses have always known the importance of word of mouth. Many successful businesses have been built on word of mouth referrals, and many have been killed by bad word of mouth. But now the landscape is changing, making word of mouth more important than ever - only now, that word of mouth is being communicated on the Internet. People - your customers - are turning to the Internet as their primary source of information on products and services. Instead of opening the yellow pages of their phone book, they turn to Yahoo or Google. And in addition to websites and listings for local businesses, they are finding ratings and reviews! Sites like Amazon.com and ePinions pioneered product rating systems. In some categories, these ratings have become essential to a product's success: more than 60% of consumer electronics purchasers report that they consult online ratings before making a purchase decision! Ratings have also become common is a few other business categories, such as restaurants and hotels. But the online ratings explosion is just starting; Internet entrepreneurs are demonstrating that virtually anything can be rated online. RateMyProfessors.com, launched in 1999, allows college students to rate - well, professors. The site has accumulated over 3 million ratings, and has spun off another site, RateMyTeachers.com, aimed at high school and elementary students. ApartmentRatings.com has the most comprehensive database of apartment ratings, with almost 250,000 reviews. RateMDs.com was formed to allow patients to rate their doctors. A new site, ClubRatingz.com, allows patrons to rate nightclubs and bars (perhaps while recovering from hangovers?) Rating sites are even risking the wrath of the legal profession: LawyerRatingz.com provides attorney ratings and reviews. All of these sites feature a fair share of rants and raves. Many of the comments are semi-coherent ramblings, often typed with Caps Lock down. But surprisingly, over time and with enough ratings, a fairly accurate picture emerges. Some reviewers provide well-thought reviews and useful information. And the sites are being visited and read! The ratings phenomena may not have reached your industry or your community, but it probably will. So what can you do about it? First, be aware of ratings sites. Use a search engine to look for rating sites in your area and business. (Search for things like landscaper ratings in Pittsburgh or hair salon reviews in Sacramento.) You may find that your business is already listed on a rating site. If it is, make sure that the basic listing information (business name, location, website) is correct, and if not, contact the site operator. If your business is not listed, see if there is a way to add your listing. Do not pay for this service! Legitimate rating sites are not supported by the businesses being rated! (However, a few sites offer enhanced "listings" for a small fee. Consider paying for this is the site seems to be well run and have a lot of traffic.) Check the rating sites regularly. You might actually get some good information on how customers see your business, and where you need to make improvements. Encourage your patrons to rate your business. Satisfied customers will give you good ratings. (Don't try to "flood" a rating site with bogus reviews; many of these sites use algorithms to detect the source of ratings, and may even remove businesses that try to cheat.) If you get a bad review, there's probably not much you can do about it. The rating and review sites are on pretty solid legal ground, and most will not remove bad reviews. However, some sites have a mechanism for responding to a review, so be sure to ask about this. If nothing else, you can submit your own review and calmly refute the complaints of other reviewers. Be careful to stay calm and professional, and not get into online debates that can damage your credibility. In the end, business success is still based on word of mouth - but now more people are listening. Bob Nicholson / WYGK Consulting provides business, technology and strategic consulting for small businesses, internet start-ups and entrepreneurs. Visit http://www.wygk.com
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Possibilities Of The Blogosphere For The PR Industry In Spanish-Speaking Countries Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and the Argentine Clarín. Although the blogs are becoming more visible in the media and are becoming a research topic, still they are something of small "evangelist groups", who promote its use? but this can change in little time. Which PR? Judge for Yourself You are a senior business, non-profit or association manager.So, chances are you call the shots for your department, division or subsidiary. How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local newspapers I spent my school and college vacations working in the editorial office. We used to amuse ourselves over our sandwiches at lunchtime looking through and trashing the endless press releases that would arrive in the mail each day, all beautifully produced with glossy photographs (this was in pre-internet days). Whats Important About PR? Quite a bit, actually. Public relations helps business, non-profit and association managers achieve their managerial objectives with results like these. So, How Do I Answer That? How you answer questions depends on many factors. Example what type of situation is it. Foolproof Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners They'd hate to admit it, but the media is pretty predictable.There are some stories that will run in newspapers until the saints go marching in. Why Good PR Warrants Your Attention Because good public relations can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors among key outside audiences. And that can help business, non-profit and association managers achieve their managerial objectives. Media Relations: Should You Pay For News Coverage? Dear New York Times:I'd like to be quoted in one of your news stories. Enclosed is a check for $500. 33 Reasons To Do A News Release News releases are not the best way to get major media coverage, but they can be used to increase the frequency with which your company name appears in the press.Press releases will get you coverage in set features like business notes, and new personnel columns. Easy to be Foolish About PR In fact, here are three really foolish goofs made by too many business, non-profit and association managers.If that's you, you foolishly do nothing positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation. Media Relations: Making Your Story More Newsworthy During my career as the head of media relations for the world's second largest environmental group, I regularly heard a common refrain from the scientists who so desperately wanted press attention for their projects. "But my project is so important," they'd say, expecting that was enough to crack the evening news. Media Relations: How to Get Your Letter to the Editor Published You may remember Forrest Gump's Vietnam pal - the one who grew up shrimp farming and was fond of listing the dishes he used to make. "Pepper shrimp," he started, gearing up for his lengthy monotone monologue. Tactics Vs. Endgame - Endgame Wins It took me a while to see just HOW crucial the behaviorsof an organization's key audiences really are to its success, be it big or small, non-profit, business, association or even a public sector enterprise.Sounds elemental, doesn't it? But the truth is, few organizations can succeed today if those target audiencebehaviors don't fit the organization's objectives. If Your PR Cant Do This, Bag It! As a business, non-profit or association manager, why continue a public relations effort that doesn't deliver the key external audience behaviors you need to achieve your department, division or subsidiary objectives?Time for a change. One that will base your PR effort on a fundamental premise that makes sense. What to Do When the Reporter Calls: Five Tips for New (and not-so-new) Business Owners New business owners often miss out on publicity opportunities because they think it's a nuisance to talk to reporters. In fact, publicity can be far more valuable than advertising. Why Do You Want PR? To get someone's name in the newspaper or a product mention on a radio talk show?If that's all you expect, fine. But that response tells me that, as a business, non-profit or association manager, you may have overlooked an important reality: people act on their own perception of the facts, leading to predictable behaviors about which something can be done on your behalf. Media Relations: What To Do When Youre Misquoted When ABC News anchor Peter Jennings announced he had lung cancer last month, reporters who cover the media went into breaking news mode.What did it mean to the future of network news, they wondered? What would ABC News do to recover from the tragic announcement? And what sources could they talk to who would fill them in on the latest rumblings at ABC?That's when my phone rang. A Great Way to Do PR As a business, non-profit or association manager trying to get a bang for your PR buck, you could pretty much concentrate on simple print and broadcast mentions or, for that matter, the whole basket of tactical public relations weaponry including old favorites like high-visibility speech appearances and newsworthy special events.But if you really want premium public relations results, you must use a broader, more comprehensive and workable public relations blueprint to alter your key, external audience perceptions - perceptions that lead to the changed behaviors you'll need to reach your managerial goals. Is The Traditional Press Review Still A Business Tool Of The Future? Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying the market situtation, your company's public image and the coverage of your competitor's business. Only if you are well-informed about theses topics, you can make sound business decisions. Managers and PR Genius The real public relations geniuses might be managers. You know, managers who pursue their objectives by reaching, persuading and moving those outside audiences whose behavior most affect their organizations, to actions those managers desire.
|
| home | site map | contact us |