Small-Business Guide - Managing Your Small Business’s Online Reputation - NYTimes.com

Small-Business Guide - Managing Your Small Business’s Online Reputation - NYTimes.com

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This applies to private law practice, too.





Excerpts:



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How do you manage your reputation when everybody is a critic?



For some business owners, this is a terrifying prospect that seems more like mob rule than the wisdom of crowds. Negative reviews can hang an albatross around your neck if they appear prominently in search results. Happily, there is a big upside: referrals from happy clients are traditionally the best source of new business — and online forums are powerful word-of-mouth. The review process has been democratized.



But managing your online reputation requires a whole new skill set, including monitoring the online conversation and engaging with customers and the tech-savvy to promote yourself in the best channels. These skills are becoming essential for mainstream businesses. According to a survey by the Opinion Research Corporation, 84 percent of Americans say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions. (Still not convinced? Tell us why.)



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