Media release: Pitch meetings go both ways

Image source  NYTimes

Recently I was called to help a company with some damage control as a result of negative online reviews they received. During the initial call, I did say that online reviews are generally a symptom of a larger issue. We may be able to help with the immediate containment of the situation, but, this would just be like putting a plaster over an unknown wound; we would need to dig a bit deeper and treat the root cause to avoid similar future situations.

On prepping for the meeting, I found it rather interesting that there was very little information about the company on their website, apart from a generic photo, logo and a telephone number, there was absolutely no information about who they are or what they do. I prepped as best as I could.

At the meeting, I was greeted by a rather monochromatic male-dominated boardroom. Which I found very interesting as their core target market is people living in communities, so I did find it a bit odd that the board wasn’t more demographically representative. For about the first 20 minutes, before I had even started my pitch, Mr Dominant Monochromat (DM) explained to me what he wanted done from a Google Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) point of view.  His ideal scenario is that when people Google his company’s name and include the word liar or crook, he wants articles and keywords to pop up saying,  ‘I thought the company was a crook, but they are not…’ When I managed to get a word in edgewise, I suggested that they should perhaps consider steering away from negative words such as crooks and liars and rather use more positive associations to build a positive reputation. This encouraged Mr DM to mansplain his desired approach, and that he was glad that he could teach me something new. When I at last had the opportunity to pitch my ideas and proposed plan of action; I just wanted to confirm what their vision was as I was not able to find it before the meeting. Mr DM, asked rather defensively, ‘why?! It’s to make money!’. When I went on to ask what their values were, he replied a bit annoyed with, ‘money, money, money, why what is yours?’. I then did something that I have never done in a meeting before. I wasn’t even half-way through my presentation, but I closed my laptop, packed it away and said, ‘one of our core values is respect. It is very clear that you have no respect for your customers, your employees, or for me. Your approach and values do not resonate with ours. We are not the right company to help you.’ I packed my things and left.

The experience made me realise that when we pitch for work it’s very much a two-way pitch. As much as you need to impress the potential client with your methodology and credentials. There must be mutual respect gained. They also need to pitch themselves to you. You need to ask yourself whether this is a company that you want to be associated with; is this someone you can work with.

It is our vision to be Africa’s go to reputation specialists to build resilient businesses. We believe in changing the reputation of our country and continent one person and one company at a time. But, the other party also needs to put in the work, do their bit and respect that the advice and guidance that they are given is based on a track record of years of experience. 

We would have made meaningful recommendations until the cows came home, but Mr DM would only have been happy if his company’s name and words such a liar and crook popped up on Google. Not the reputation building route recommended for anyone.

Sometimes saying thank you, but no thank you, and stepping away is necessary and good.

I think in this current economic climate we need to remember the fundamentals. Compromising your own values will be detrimental in the long run. When you pitch for new work, don’t be shy to ask questions, they have to impress you as much as you have to impress them, it’s a two-way street.

To continue the reputation management discussion, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call +27 21 790 0208 or mail research@reputationmatters.co.za. We are also on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters and Twitter @ReputationIsKey

###

The week that was 20200810

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT

So grateful to have been able to travel to Gauteng for the first time in five months! So grateful to catch up and spend time with my Mom. Had a wonderful family lunch to celebrate her birthday; don't worry, we social'ed and we distance'd. 

Very appreciative for a great hairdresser, I've been going to her since moving to Hout Bay. She knows me so well. Initially I was a bit dubious about the length; but, I have made peace with is, and am really enjoying it. The long piece is headed (pun intended) to CANSA. 

Learning something interesting

Via: CapeTownEtc. Fascinating to learn about ‘Hawequa’. A unique occurrence that can be viewed once a year in the Western Cape (Wellington), where a ‘man in the mountain’ seems to appear from the mountainside.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

'The best piece of advice I can give a woman, or a man  for that matter is: No matter how hard things are, don't walk away when the going gets tough because, quite simply, you'll never forgive yourself.' ~Karen Boswell OBE, MD Hitachi Rail Europe.~

THIS WEEK I FINISHED READING...

Leaving Before the Rains Come by Alexander Fuller. This is the follow up to 'Don't Let's Go to The Dogs Tonight, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This one, not so much.

As a team we reread, ' The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari,' by Robin Sharma. It's one of my favourite books that have great reminders and lessons. Highly recommendable. 

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE

The week that was 20200801

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT

Grateful for a great radio interview with Olivia Sambo on her progam Rand en Sent on Radio Sonder Grense (RSG). Here's the link to where it can be downloaded. 

Such a lovely chat with dynamic and inspirational Margaret Hirsch on her weekly 'Morning Live with Margaret' Show on Facebook. So grateful for her friendship and mentorship. Here's the link to the interview. 

I am not the biggest fan of Winter, but... I do like the delicious citrus fruit it brings. Oranges cut in quarters always reminds me of playing Netball and getting a piece of orange during half time. 

It's been a deliciously warm day today, lay with Bella in the sun. Grateful for a lazy weekend morning. Madam did let me know that she was feeling a bit crowded

BIGGEST LESSON THIS WEEK / REMINDER

Thought this was rather interesting, the French one is my favourite, which one do you like?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

If it's cheap it ain't good; if it's good, it ain't cheap

THIS WEEK I FINISHED READING...

In my search for an audiobook to listen to as a team, I came across Dan Peña, and found his audiobook: Your First 100 Million. He is also known as the Trillion Dollar Man. I always enjoy learning from different people, and I do like his sense of humour, but, be warned, if you do want listen to it, his language is, well, he says it as it is.  

Interesting take on things, as the title suggests, The Soul's Journey into the Mystery of Mysteries. One of the quotes that I particularly liked:

"Doubt is the dry rot of faith," Indian Saint.

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE

The week that was 20200725

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT

 

Reputation Matters and my team, that is what I am most proud and grateful for. During lockdown we've developed an eBook, launched a YouTube channel and conducted global research to determine how to rebuild resilient reputations after COVID-19. 

Grateful for this little guy. Every morning little 'Jan Frederik' has come to check in, tap on my window and say 'hello'. 

I've not been on my bicycle for a while. Had such a magnificent cycle to Camps Bay last Sunday. So grateful for the spectacular beauty that surrounds us. 

Had fun with this! Rather chuffed with my first attempt at crocheting socks 

BIGGEST LESSON THIS WEEK / REMINDER

Isn't this just such a marvelous word! I particularly like saying conviviality out loudly, such a wonderfully expressive word. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE

Such a brilliant advert at an airport. 

Translation (the translation unfortunately does no justice to the above): Some evenings the sea breeze brings the aroma of the sea to my doorstep. A mixture of fresh cracked open oysters, salt, sand and holiday. Sometimes more of a pong; like a bugger up on a fish truck. Tonight is not an oyster night..

Media release: What are your eight words?

Can you fluently describe what your business’ unique selling proposition (USP) is? What makes you stand out from your competitors? If you say it’s the quality of your service or product, or your quick turnaround time, isn’t that exactly what they are also saying?

If you were to describe what it is that your business does in eight words, what would you say? Would your answer sound the same as the receptionist or intern’s answer? How does it compare to the person that has been with the company for ten years or more?

If you took time to ask everyone in your organisation, you might be quite surprised to find out what the rest of your team are saying. What your team is saying, becomes the the message that is communicated internally and externally, to friends, customers and other stakeholders. It has a direct impact on how your business is perceived and influences your company’s reputation. The perception of what your company does is not necessarily the truth, but it is that person’s reality which becomes their opinion that is communicated to people around them.

A few years back I realised with a shock that we didn’t have a succinct USP, our ‘eight words’ were all rather muddled. I recall asking the team to share a voice note with me describing what we do in eight words. Everyone’s voice note was quite different and varied a lot in length. Clearly, we definitely needed clarity on our eight words.

I really didn’t want to dictate what the eight words should be and I believe in being collaborative and involving the team in key decisions. If everyone is on board and gives their inputs, the chances of them buying into it, and adopting it as their own, are much greater. So at the next strategy session, we set time aside to work out what our eight words are, combing the USP and our vision. The reason for this is so that when we share our USP, we automatically share the bigger vision of expanding operations into the rest of Africa as well. Our agreed eight words: Africa’s go to reputation specialists building resilient businesses.

At your next team meeting, why not ask everyone to take a few minutes to write down what they consider it is that the business does.

There are a number of reasons it is so important to be clear in your offering:

1. If you are fluent at what you do, it is so much easier to explain it to someone else and for them to understand and welcome it;
2. Target your sales effort: knowing exactly what it is that you do makes it a lot easier to identify opportunities that you want to focus on which are aligned to your core services. You will also feel a lot less guilty saying ‘no’ to work that does not fit into your core offering;
3. It helps you to identify growth opportunities;
4. Your reputation is built upon what is communicated internally and externally. When everyone sings from the same hymn sheet and consistently sends out the same message, you are all building your company’s reputation. Keep in mind that reputations are all about consistency; you are either consistently good (building a positive reputation) or consistently inconsistent (building a negative reputation). If your core message is inconsistent, and all over the place, your service offering will most likely also be all over the place as everyone has their own version of what they should be doing. The more consistent you and your team are, the more solid your reputation will be;

While you are crafting your eight words, it is also a good idea to review your communication material and check that everything aligns to the eight word principal of describing your business. Also remember to check your internal messages and don’t neglect your induction pack for new employees. Consider finding out what your other key stakeholders think your business does, because it will help you to know if you need to re-align key messages and identify gaps in your communication initiatives.

To continue the reputation management discussion, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call +27 21 790 0208 or mail research@reputationmatters.co.za. We are also on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters and Twitter @ReputationIsKey

###

COVID-19 doesn’t change top CEOs’ social media habits

[CAPTION] Top CEOs across the globe tend to stick to their existing communication habits during the COVID-19 crisis. Only those who were already active on social media before the pandemic used these platforms to interact with their stakeholders during the COVID-19 crisis. This is according to research by the international communication network ECCO.

ECCO analysed the personal Twitter and LinkedIn accounts of the top 20 companies (by market capitalisation)’s CEOs in 17 countries worldwide. This year was the third time that ECCO conducted the research. ECCO found that CEOs all over the world have been reluctant to send their messages through Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contrary to the general assumption that social media becomes more important during a crisis, ECCO observed a nearly unchanged share of CEOs using Twitter and LinkedIn compared to previous surveys in 2017 and 2019. The research even shows a slight decline in activity on LinkedIn, where only 46% of CEOs have and use a personal account.

Even fewer CEOs have Twitter accounts. Since 2017 the share of Twitter users has grown marginally from 15% to 20%.

South African results

Reputation Matters, the South African regional representatives in the ECCO network, conducted the research of the top 20 CEOs as listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)*. Findings indicate that Twitter is far from the preferred choice as a personal communication channel. Whereas an average of 20% of top CEOs globally have taken to Twitter, only one top CEO in South Africa had a Twitter presence. LinkedIn shows a greater uptake amongst top CEOs, although many of these personal profiles have not been active for several months, if at all.

“Social media is often a great way for companies to reach the public, but on a personal level it depends on each individual’s communication strategy,” says Nalene de Klerk, reputation manager at Reputation Matters. “It would appear that, for now, social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn are not high on South Africa’s top CEOs’ radars as personal communication channels.”

For more information about the study, contact Nalene de Klerk on research@reputationmatters.co.za or visit ecco-network.com. Follow Reputation Matters on Facebook (@yourreputationmatters) or Twitter (@ReputationIsKey).

*Top 20 JSE listed companies in South Africa (by market capitalisation) as at 04 May 2020.

Coming out of lockdown, what does your brand equity look like?

Image via CreativeBloq

[CAPTION] The COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity to re-evaluate your organisation’s brand equity and reshape your brand in the mind of your consumer. What is brand equity and how do you build it?

For many companies, the COVID-19 crisis has escalated into a fight for survival. Those who make it through will emerge into a new world completely changed by the crisis. It is a time to rethink strategy and operations.

In terms of brand and reputation, it may almost feel as if someone hit the ‘Reset button’. Because of the massive impact of COVID-19 on society’s psyche, people may have less recollection of your brand before the pandemic hit, while the memory of how the company acted and treated them during the pandemic will be much stronger. This is an opportunity to rebuild your organisation’s brand to emphasise what it truly stands for. For those looking at where to start, here’s a revision of the basic elements of brand equity.

“Brand equity consists of the value of your customers’ perceptions of your organisation,” says Nalene de Klerk, reputation manager at Reputation Matters. It differs from ‘reputation’ in that brand equity mainly focuses on your customers and your product or service offering; reputation is built in the minds of all your stakeholders (internal and external) and covers much more than just your value offering.

“We also find that it is often confused with ‘brand valuation’, which is when the brand is converted into a monetary value,” explains de Klerk. “The calculations used to calculate brand value are diverse, with no single standard for how it is calculated. However, the elements of brand equity are generally more subjective: you are painting a picture of your brand in the mind of the consumer.”

When building your organisation’s brand equity, especially in this time of renewal, there are six elements to consider. These all form part of the Reputation Matters’ newly launched BrandUmeter research model, where the brand equity of an organisation is quantified.

1. Brand visual identity

“Most people who think of the term ‘brand’ usually think of a powerful logo and slogan, like Nike or Coca-Cola,” says de Klerk. “This relates to the visual identity. The brand visual identity encompasses anything by which people identify the organisation or its products.” The main focus is usually on the visual aspects such as the logo, slogan, typography or colour scheme. However, a brand can be recognised by any of the senses, including auditory (as with a jingle or sonic) and olfactory (like perfume).

“However, you cannot just dream up a logo that people might like and think your brand is in place,” cautions de Klerk. “It is important that the brand’s visual identity align with the type of company or product that it conveys, as well as the values of the brand.”

2. Brand personality

“One of the key characteristics of a strong brand is its ability to connect emotionally with its target audience,” says de Klerk. The brand’s unique voice allows it to do this by aligning to the personality of the types of people that it wants to attract. For example, Nando’s has a very unique personality, which makes them memorable and recognisable.

3. Brand positioning / promise

What makes this company different from its competitors? Why does it exist, and what is its unique selling proposition? “In many ways, this element is the foundation of all the others,” says de Klerk. “In today’s noisy market, and especially in industries where there are several competitors, your organisation must know what sets it apart and what types of customers it is trying to attract. That will then flow into the brand personality and communication.”

4. Brand communication

A brand needs communication to become powerful: the communication is the glue that binds the other elements together. “The key here is to communicate the brand effectively,” explains de Klerk. Before a brand can become familiar in the mind of the target audience and start garnering customer loyalty, it needs to be visible. Consistency is also critical: a brand is built over time.

5. Brand awareness / familiarity

Different types of brands require different levels of awareness and familiarity from the public. Consumer brands, for example, require as wide a public presence as possible in order to survive, whilst business-to-business brands tend to focus more on the awareness of the brand within the business community. “Either way, if you are painting a picture in the mind of your consumer, brand awareness speaks to the clarity of that picture,” shares de Klerk.

6. Brand experience

You can put your brand out there, explain it, reinforce it, but what happens when the customer uses your product or services? “The customer experience forms part of the picture you are painting,” says de Klerk. “If they have a great experience, you have a higher brand equity and you are a step closer towards having a loyal customer, even an advocate for your business. If that experience is bad, however, all your branding efforts will be tainted by it and your logo might serve more as a warning sign than an attractive beacon.”

“Whether you are just starting out, whether COVID-19 reset your entire strategy, or whether your brand equity was high enough to carry you through the crisis without a hitch, take hold of the opportunity to build your brand afresh,” concludes de Klerk.

If you would like to measure your brand equity and gain greater insight into what it looks like, the Reputation Matters BrandUmeter can help you to put a percentage to it. To find out more, feel free to contact research@reputationmatters.co.za.

For more information on Reputation Matters contact research@reputationmatters.co.za or visit www.reputationmatters.co.za. Follow Reputation Matters on Facebook (@yourreputationmatters) or Twitter (@ReputationIsKey).

###

Rebuilding resilient reputations as we phase out of lockdown: Four lessons from research across the globe

Photo source: Unsplash

“What the world needs now is solidarity. With solidarity we can beat the virus and build a better world,” ~ United Nations.

Reputation Matters, a proudly African firm that focuses on reputation research, has embarked on a research study to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research focussed specifically on the impact that the pandemic had on business communication and how people have been affected on an individual, company and country level. The results, which are presented in a series of free online sessions this week, highlights the importance of crisis communication and having a communication policy in place before a crisis hits. Apart from the negative economic impact of the pandemic, respondents indicated that they enjoyed spending more time with family and building stronger bonds. Businesses also noted that they were forced to think outside of the box in order to reach their customers. They also indicated that working from a remote office and using technology have delivered a more productive workforce. 

For the first time since the second World War, the Eiffel Tower has been closed for more than 100 consecutive days, major sporting events like the PGA have been cancelled and life as we knew it has come to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As many countries start phasing out their lockdown, people are eager to get back to business.

“With the help of our strategic partner, ECCO International Communications Network and the African Public Relations Association (APRA), the questionnaire was distributed across Africa and translated into French, German and Hungarian to make it accessible across Europe,” says Chanell Kemp, reputation specialist at Reputation Matters, who led the research project. The survey delivered responses from Africa, Asia, Europe, North- and South America. The majority of responses however came from Africa and Europe and the data focused on these two continents. “The main thing that stood out for me is that the world is ready to relook the way we work. Technology has allowed us to work remotely and make better use of our time,” indicates Chris Bischoff, reputation manager, who was part of the project.

Participants were asked what the effects were on their countries, and the majority of respondents, regardless of the country or continent, indicated that the macro-economic effect was devastating. Respondents mentioned the GDP, increases in poverty, loss of revenue and the closures of borders, travel and businesses as the major influencers on a macro-economic level, indicating that  the ‘worst is yet to come’. “Albeit the big effect the lockdown had on all three levels, the positive message that came through from the respondents is one of hope and optimism, with the biggest focus being on family time, relationship building and generally more time for self-reflection” says Nalene de Klerk, reputation manager that was research support on the project.

“The data that we collected was very rich and insightful. There are numerous lessons that we learnt from the research that can help businesses re-establish and rebuild a resilient reputation after the lockdown,” indicates Kemp. Here are four lessons that businesses can focus on, coming out of lockdown:

1. The pandemic changed the way we engage with new and current clients: Communication to employees and customers is more important than ever and businesses need to adapt their marketing and customer relations strategies to take advantage of digital opportunities and new communication platforms.
2. It is important to have a crisis communication plan in place before a crisis takes place: A crisis can only be managed effectively if you plan appropriately. The research indicated that 42% of organisations in Africa did not have a crisis communication plan in place before the pandemic surfaced.
3. The pandemic, and its economic impact, is far from over: Organisations need to have a financial strategy in place to help businesses survive and thrive in the new economy.
4. The pandemic affected everyone, regardless of age, continent or country: The research highlighted the importance of empathy, humanity and unity. Businesses need to share these messages of positivity with the rest of the business community in Africa.

There are even more lessons that surfaced from the research and Reputation Matters is hosting a free online session to give detailed feedback on all the research results. “We want to invite the media and the members of the public to join one of the two sessions this week: Tuesday, 30 June 2020 at 14:00 (RSA) or Thursday, 02 July 2020 at 14:00 (RSA),” concludes Kemp. To be part of this session, please send an email to research@reputationmatters.co.za. Organisations can draw inspiration from the positive aspects that arose from the research, take the lessons learnt and implement it in order to build resilient reputations coming out of lockdown.

For more information on Reputation Matters and to measure your reputation, contact research@reputationmatters.co.za or visit www.reputationmatters.co.za. Follow Reputation Matters on Facebook (@yourreputationmatters) or Twitter (@ReputationIsKey).

###

Media Contact:

Chanell Kemp

chanell@reputationmatters.co.za

+27 81 331 0353

Jack of all trades, master of none; is your communication expert a good fit?

Pic source: Unsplash

If you were to handle a lawsuit without the necessary legal advice and council, or audit your own books without the needed skills of a professional, you know that you are setting yourself up for failure. Not investing in professional help in either of these could have a dire impact on your business on so many levels. Communication, if not managed professionally, will also negatively impact your business and you could run the risk of ruining your reputation.

Fortunately, more companies are seeing the benefit of investing in their reputations compared to ten years ago. Unfortunately, there are many charlatans out there that have jumped on the ‘reputation’ band wagon and have taken many organisations for a Public Relations (PR) ride. I honestly can’t blame some companies for being wary about investing in communication / PR agencies; I’ve heard some shocking revelations of what some agencies get away with, with high retainer fees to boot!

Whether or not you are sceptical about engaging in the services of a communication manager, have been dabbling with the thought of getting someone on board, or just wondering whether you are getting the most out of your current service provider, use the pointers below to help find or confirm that you have the right communication fit in your organisation. This will essentially help you to manage and maximise your communication initiatives to ultimately take your reputation to the next level.

What should you look for when selecting a communication consultancy?

Firstly, have an agreed road map:

• Does the agency make an effort to understand your organisation? They need to live the brand to effectively communicate about the organisation. If they are not integrally involved in what you do, how can they successfully communicate to others what you do?
• Do they ask about the business’ goals and is this incorporated into the overall communication goals?
• Is there a clear agreed upon communication vision? Does this feed into the overall business vision?
• How do they bill?  This is quite a grey area, especially as there are no set industry fees and rates. Some agencies bill per hour and allocate a set number of hours to each client. Other prefer to bill per project, while others opt for a retainer fee. Personally, I recommend a monthly retainer fee with very clear deliverables that need to be reported on. Building a reputation takes time, and it is quite tricky to do this if the focus is only on an ad hoc project basis. With a retainer you can have a much longer term view and build a stronger relationship if both parties know where you are heading to and what it is going to take to get there. I do understand that investing in a retainer could be quite daunting especially if you have not had a good experience in the past. Consider negotiating a shorter term engagement and take stock after a couple of months to see what is working, what is not working and readjust where necessary.

Secondly, find out about range of expertise of the agency.

• Are they able to cater for your specific needs? What is tremendously helpful is to give a comprehensive brief of what you require. This will make your life considerably easier when it comes to evaluating the proposals received.
• Find out what their area of expertise is. Many agencies offer a full integrated communication service - be wary of this. Ultimately there will be one area that they are far better at and that they will focus on more. You want a specialist to help you, not a jack of all trades. Collaboration is the name of game; consider a couple of experts in different areas.
• It’s good to find out what experience they have in your particular market and particular disciplines. With that said, if an agency has not worked in a specific industry, don’t let that put you off. A fresh pair of eyes could just be what is needed on a new approach to get your message out there. 

Thirdly, who will be working on the account: resourcing?

There are pros and cons when it comes to investing in a ‘one-man-show’ versus a dedicated team (agency).

When you invest in a consultant, you are investing in receiving their personalised service, unfortunately when they are ill or go on holiday there isn’t a backup team that can help out.

Investing in an agency gives you team support, and you have a group of experts to tap into as opposed to just one person. The snag is that when the proposal gets sent to you, you are promised the highest calibre resources and then once the contract is signed, you are assigned the newest intern to manage your account. You can and need to be quite clear who you would like to work on your account from the beginning.

Regardless of who you select to work with, the most important thing is that there is a good rapport between you and them.

The fourth area to look at is measuring the results.

• Find out what the measurement / return on investment of the service will be. Having clearly defined goals in place helps immensely to make sure that all parties are on the same page and knows what need to be done. You could consider linking a deliverable to a business goal.
• How and when will progress be discussed; a monthly report is highly recommended to keep track of progress, as well as quarterly or annual review.

Finally, the agency’s reputation matters. Make sure that their values resonate with those of your company. Ask for references, and speak to their current and previous clients. Find out whether they belong to the industry body, as there would be a code of ethics that members would agree to. How do well-informed people judge the consultancy? Lastly, do they practice what they preach? Read their work, and also see how they represent themselves in the media.

To recap when it comes to investing in a communication agency:

• Have an agreed road map; align the communication strategy to the business;
• Confirm the range of expertise that the agency has to offer. Would a specialist or jack of all trades work best for you?
• Find out who you will be working with. Make sure that you resonate with the person or team that you end up working with;
• Have clear measurable goals in place to track progress and to measure your return on investment and finally;
• Reputations matter, investigate the agency thoroughly and get feedback from current and previous clients before investing in a long term engagement.

To continue the reputation management conversation, join Regine on Twitter @ReputationIsKey or Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters.

###

The week that was 20200523

PROUDEST | MOST GRATEFUL MOMENT

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been interviewed by the University of Pretoria, who are busy profiling their alumni in celebration of their 100th year. I loved my student years and have incredibly fond memories of Tuks. Here is the article. 

Feeling rather proud and chuffed that I've figured out how to create a YouTube channel for Reputation Matters. All the content of our webinars have been posted there, and I've also added a series on managing the media.We are working on expanding our footprint on YouTube, so if you would be so kind as to either ‘like’, comment or share any of the videos, we’d really appreciate it, as we want to share our knowledge on reputation management as far and wide as possible.  Here's the link.

I'm still having a lot of fun with my crocheting of tote shopping bags, here's my latest edition.

BIGGEST LESSON THIS WEEK / REMINDER

This was from Dr Wayne Dyer's Facebook page: Practice enjoying the present moment, rather than using it up consumed with guilt over the past or worry about the future. Refuse to allow any thoughts based on your past to define you. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart," Joe Chernov.

WHAT MADE ME GIGGLE