How to Rebuild your Business Reputation: 6 Tips

13 December 2021

A reputation crisis can hugely impact dealerships, and dealers need to take the right steps to rebuild it.

Here are a few things to consider while recovering from a reputation crisis.

1.Analyze the damage caused

First things first. Assess the severity of damage caused.

Check for these issues:

Shifts in local reputation
Shifts in influencer perception
Changing perception of prospective customers
Damage to employee confidence

You need to monitor social media conversations and Google local results to determine the damage caused to dealer reputation. A clear picture of the extent of damage is required before you can address the issue effectively.

2.Communication is key

Staying silent in a difficult situation or not owning up to issues is not an option. It will only cause more damage to your dealership’s reputation. Take shift action to address core issues, and communicate the outcome convincingly.

Once this is accomplished, try shifting the conversation to haw effectively the issue was addressed. To do that effectively you need to know whom you are speaking to and through what channels.

3.Publish positive content

Numbers say that only 7% of web searches go beyond the first page of Google. In order to recover from a reputation crisis you only need to push the bad news out of the first page. Publishing positive, relevant, and search optimized content that ranks well in Google SERPs can help you get there.

The benefits of doing this is two-fold.

With enough positive content you can bury the negative stuff.
You can dominate Google’s local search with fresh and interesting content.

4.Make sure employees understand the crisis

During a crisis, your employees are the best possible brand ambassadors of your dealership. As a dealer you need to bring your employees on board and make them understand what’s happening and how it can be handled tactfully.

Get started with onboarding and training promising employees on how to be effective ambassadors, as you rebuild your reputation.

5.Pay attention to social media responses

Over 65% of industry leaders believe that social media can exacerbate a brand crisis, according to a recent study.

You need to carefully monitor the conversations on your blogs, social media channels, and other online platforms, and respond proactively.

6.Maintain professionalism and transparency

When it comes to rebuilding your reputation after a crisis, you need to be professional and transparent at all times. Never ever lash out, regardless of the provocation.

One of the most effective ways to bury negative press and conversations is by revising your existing content that is already ranking, and steering it towards containing negative conversations.

For more information, Contact Us.