People buy from businesses and brands they trust. Okay, let’s back up and take it from the top. According to a study by Zignal Labs and PR Week, 52% of public relations and reputation managers believe that half of a company’s value is directly related to its reputation. If you’re running a sizable business or bootstrapped one, you know how hard it was to build your brand. … [Read more...]
How to Build and Save Face the Japanese Way
Spending several years as the sole foreigner in a rural town high in the Japanese Alps taught me more than words can express, giving me the ability to view life through a different lens. I learned the real meaning of gender inequality, the importance of cultivating your own food, and how to live and think more communally. But the biggest lesson I learned was about face, a … [Read more...]
Why Some are Fearful of Social Media
In the financial services industry, compliance departments are up in arms because of industry rules requiring firms to retain records of all the social media conversations that their advisors are having. The Securities and Exchange Commission has been reported to be conducting a sweep of registered investment advisers' use of social media and social networking (Investment … [Read more...]
A Picture Says 1,000 Words – Especially on The Internet
If a picture of you appears on Facebook or somewhere else on the Internet, it is likely that just about anyone can see it if they search for you. Right now there is a Facebook application called Photo Finder, powered by Face.com. It uses facial recognition and social connections software to locate a photo of someone – even if it wasn’t identified by name (tagged). You want … [Read more...]
Do You Have a “Reputation?”
When I was growing up, we wanted to avoid being someone with a “reputation.” Today, we want a reputation, but we need it to be positive. However, maintaining one’s reputation is getting harder and harder. As social media and social networking sites continue to flourish, the power of the individual voice is growing greatly. We have to protect our reputations, and have … [Read more...]