With the advancement of social media and the growth of online conversations, there are now many ways for your garden brand to reach its customers and for customers to reach their favorite brands.

This unlimited two-way conversation can drastically help or hurt your brand. It all depends on how you manage it.

And how your customers share it. Your customer now have the power to alter the perception of your brand with the information they post online.

Read on to learn 3 important tips to managing your garden brands reputation.

1. Where is your brand popping up?

Frequently search the internet for all the places that your brand pops-up. Keep track of all the sites and monitor what is being said about your brand.

You will be managing your own social sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and can interact with public feedback here - but that shouldn't be all.

Be sure to check out review sites that you don’t have total control over such as Yelp, Angie’s List and review sites like Dave's Garden to make sure you’ve caught everything.

If you don't read and pay attention to what is being said about you, you can't properly manage your brand.

2. Implement Your Brand Message and Monitor Public Feedback

Your garden business works hard to develop a voice, message and personality through strategic marketing efforts. But the reality is that word-of-mouth is still the most trusted form of marketing.

Online impressions can easily effect and alter the messages your garden brand has set out to implement.

Public feedback can come in many forms. It can be negative, positive and sometimes - whether good or bad - may not support your brand’s message.

Anyone has the ability to critique your brand’s actions on the internet, whether true or not.

Make sure you keep your brand messaging on track even if you receive negative feedback.

3. Protect Your Brand by Engaging

This is the most important step. Customers may have the power when it comes to online reviews and forums, but you have the power to respond.

You need to protect your garden business when feedback that alters your brand’s message is posted on the internet.

When customers are talking about you, engage with them! Let them know you're listening and that you will be happy to help if something needs to be fixed. Take customers suggestions into consideration. Reach out to your fans and start a conversation with them. 

Your fans are your biggest team players. They are the ones who will get your message out, so be sure to engage with them regularly. They will appreciate knowing that you are paying just as much attention to them as they are to you.

Tip: Check back tomorrow to learn important tips on how to react to negative online feedback!

Read our eBook on Branding to Learn More!