Live Example of BAD Online Reputation Management
This is a case study on how to not to do online reputation management. In other words, this is an example of BAD reputation management.
Background: Ameririprise Financial like any other institution has their share of critics and watchdog groups. Back in the dat they used to be part of AMEX before that brand realized they were only tarnishing their good name. Here is an example of a forum of good content regarding the old AMEX Financial Advisors or here at another finance blog
People have blogged about their experience with what is now called Ameriprise Financial Advisors and one example comes from this personal finance blog. The title of the post is Ameriprise Careers and Ameriprise Complaints . Read the post and the comments and see that this is an example of a good discussion with the moderator allowing comments from both sides.
However, the second to last comment was an example of Online Reputation Management gone wrong. Below you will find the comment and what was wrong with it.
I’ve been working at Ameriprise for 4 months. It’s not easy. It’s hard work and requires persistence and commitment. Within 12 months I will likely be earning about $75k, which is less than what I originally expected (and less than what I’ve earned in previous jobs in an unrelated field). However, the potential is very real for those who are willing to stick with it. I still believe I will be able to earn about 110k within 3 years (hopefully sooner). This is only possible with LOTS of HOURS. Those who continue to work hard at it will make $150k within 5 years and basically be able to make their hours (of course, it will always involve some evening hours because many clients can only meet you in the evening).
If this work is suited to you, you should stick with it and you should definitely succeed. This is honest work, and all of the advisors I’ve worked with are honest. Obviously, some are more diligent than others, but I can honestly say that all of them are basically sincere. They are NOT crooks or cheats and do indeed have the interests of their clients foremost in mind.
There is absolutely NOTHING at all wrong with selling financial products or services. It is SALES. So what. There is not a SINGLE company that does not rely on SALES. If the company you work for does not have a sales force and is unable to sell its products, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A JOB. I think it is ironic that people are so distrustful and skeptical of people in the financial services industry. We are no different than people in other industries–of course, there are some bad apples, but the same can be said of EVERY industry.
Some people (most people) NEED insurance. Some people (many people) NEED guidance with making sound investments, managing their money, considering tax strategies, planning for their retirement, etc. People who fulfill this need, i.e., financial advisors, are NOT bad people ‘out to get you.’ Only an inmature mind thinks that way.
Ameriprise Financial is a top-notch financial services company with more than 10,000 advisors providing personal financial service to more than 2 million clients. The VAST majority of those clients are very satisfied with the service they receive, and the overwhelming majority of financial advisors are VERY trustworthy, capable, dedicated, and happy to be working with a forward-thinking company like Ameriprise Financial.
- The Comment is TOO Long - who the hell takes the time to write a freaking essay like this honestly?At 410 words this is way to long for what an average web surfer is willing to write in a comment box.
- The Essay is Too Well Written - Here is the deal, no one is going to proof read their comment and makes several revisions. Hell I don’t even proof read my blog posts.
- Excessive ALL CAPS - Trying way to hard to drive your points huh??
- No Direct Writing - Please notice how the wording is very vague. This is so legal doesn’t have to deal with BS all the wording is very ambiguous. “I will likely be earning… ” and “there are some bad apples” “the VAST majority “
- Punctuation - Unless this commenter was an English Professor there is no way an average financial advisor knows how to use dashes, commas, and periods like that.
- Corporate Speak - Tell me these two lines don’t sound like complete corporate speak. “Ameriprise Financial is a top-notch financial services company with more than 10,000 advisors providing personal financial service to more than 2 million clients.”AND “…happy to be working with a forward-thinking company like Ameriprise Financial”
I am glad that the author of the original blog called out this fake comment.
What do you think would you fall for a comment like this?
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Comments
Nice blog - I am in the reputation management field - I read it all the time. Nice post.
http://www.reputationarmor.com
Sonny
You can post positive information about yourself by uploading such positive information (a newspaper or magazine article or a letter of recommendation) onto a website called http://www.manageyournews.com This way the article or letter will show up when your name is googled. It is a way to market yourself and create a positive online imagae. Hope this helps.