4 Tools for Rebuilding Your Image

(Photo by Viktor Hanacek via picjumbo)

Repairing your public image can be a daunting task, but there are a few tools that can help you successfully rebuild. Especially after a damaging incident (think of Brian Williams’ embellished story), knowing how to manage your reputation is an important skill for anyone — whether you’re a corporation, celebrity, or lower-level employee.

Assuming that you know the steps to immediately take after public relations crisis (remember Target’s security breach), you might be wondering what to do after you’ve extinguished the fire and the smoke has cleared. After the damage has been done and you’ve taken time to regroup, how do you build your reputation to what it once was?

Improving your reputation is a commitment that takes time to develop. With advice from Entrepreneur, The News Generator, and Inc. below we’ve rounded up some important tools for successfully restoring your public image:

• Content Creation. Generating content is an ideal way to be a source of good publicity. Depending on what happened to taint your image, this can be a way to document your recovery process or to show how you’re a changed person. Focus on creating positive content as a way to balance out your bad press floating around the internet.

• Social Media. Social media is clearly a popular vehicle for communicating to an audience. Leveraging your social media to show your new image is possibly the easiest method — it’s inexpensive and has a wide reach.

• Media Relations. When it’s time for you to fully announce your official comeback, make sure you have the right connections to get your message out, besides from your own social media sites. Connect with those reporters who once criticized you and show them the new you — just make sure you don’t burn any more bridges.

• Continual Feedback. All along the way of your image repair, make sure to regularly get feedback on your progress. Have others give objective views on how you’ve improved, or even keep a close watch to what’s being said about you in the media. Reflect on what is being said and make the necessary adjustments.

With these tools you’ll be on the road to successful reputation recovery! Just remember, like fine wine and gourmet cheese, rebuilding your brand takes time, so don’t get discouraged. If Britney Spears can make a comeback after her rock bottom days of a bald head and poor choices, then there is hope for you.