In today’s digital age, more and more businesses are realizing the importance of establishing an online presence. Property management is no exception. Yet simply setting up a website and “being online” isn’t all there is to a solid web presence. If you’re going to remain competitive and truly leverage this powerful tool for your organization, you have to make the effort to maximize your presence and paint it in the most positive light possible. Chances are you’re not the only one talking about your business, so you must be aware of what’s being said about you online and respond accordingly. That being said, here are 5 tips to help you manage your organization’s online reputation.
Make a Great First Impression
Research has shown that visitors to a website take a mere 3 seconds to decide whether to stay on that site or move on. That means that your property management website must be dynamic enough to effectively capture visitors’ attention immediately. Your best bet is to have your website designed by a professional so that it is as effective as possible.
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Be Active Online
Social media is more than just a way for people to connect with friends and family. It’s now a powerful and necessary part of marketing a business. The more active you are online, via platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the more in touch with your target audience you will be, and the more you will solidify your online presence. Social media channels are also excellent tools for monitoring what’s being said about your organization and responding, so if you haven’t already established these accounts, get to it!
Listen
The most important step in managing your online reputation is listening, openly and honestly. Set up alerts that will notify you every time your organization is mentioned somewhere online so you can see what’s being said. This will help you see what’s working, and identify areas that may need some tweaking. For instance, you may find a comment about your firm that raves about your service, or you may see one that mentions slow response times. This honest feedback is invaluable to your continued success.
Respond Quickly and Positively
It may be tempting to ignore negative comments or complaints when they pop up, or to respond defensively. It’s important to note that how you respond to online feedback will impact both current and prospective clients, so approach it in a positive and timely manner. If there’s a complaint, thank the person for bringing the issue to your attention and offer positive, constructive solutions. This will show that you are listening and that you care about your clients, which goes a long way, particularly in the competitive property management industry. It will also help you improve and hone internal processes to better serve your customers.
Related Post: 3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Online Presence in Property Management
Encourage Reviews
Successful businesses are built on satisfied customers. Why not leverage those happy clients and ask them to write reviews? Place a “write review” button right on your website, and claim your organization on sites like Google Places and Yelp, where people can submit a public write-up on your business. If you’re on LinkedIn, ask a few of your connections to write a recommendation for you. The more positive stuff you have floating around on the internet about your organization, the better.
You’ve done your legwork to hire quality employees, and chosen a state-of-the-art property management software solution to streamline your business. In today’s day and age, that’s simply not enough to maintain a competitive edge and come out on top. Leveraging the internet is now a critical component of any business’ success. By doing your part to establish a solid online presence, and then working to maintain that reputation you’ve worked so hard to build, your organization will be positioned to be at the forefront of the market, both in person and online.
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