Warren Buffett preaches it.

One of the modern-day titans of U.S. business, Buffett often says company leaders should never underestimate the importance of protecting their business’s reputation and brand.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently,” says Buffett, CEO of mega-conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.

For more than a quarter-century, Buffett, the so-called “Oracle of Omaha,” has told his Berkshire managers the company can afford to lose money.

“But we can’t afford to lose reputation - even a shred of reputation.”

However, in today’s interconnected digital world of Facebook, Twitter, Yelp and a multitude of online forums, it has become increasingly challenging for businesses to manage their reputations by staying on top of internet chatter about their companies, and be part of the discussion.

Hagadone Media Group - Idaho is now offering a product - a reputation and social media management tool - designed to help businesses take Buffett’s advice and “do things differently.”

“We have brought in a way for our customers to understand and manage their online reputation,” said Kent Eymann, president of Hagadone Digital - Midwest. “It’s the new word-of-mouth advertising, and we feel our customers should have the opportunity to know everything people are saying about their businesses, both good and bad.”

This new platform alerts companies to comments that have been posted about their businesses, and let’s them see and read those comments, all in one place.

Then it provides easy-to-use management software that allows company employees to respond, if they choose, on the sites or pages where these comments originate.

This eliminates the strain of using employee resources to constantly search multiple social media sites and directories.

“We all know how important our reputations are online and this has a direct effect on how Google ranks businesses,” Eymann said. “So, managing your reputation may also improve your position on Google as well as other search engines.”

This new tool offered by Hagadone Media Group - Idaho also provides a convenient way for companies to manage and publish all their social media posts.

With one click, in one place, a social media post can be sent to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a host of other social media applications. The software “automagically” adjusts the post to the regulations of each social media company.

“We’ve talked with some of our customers and found they can spend most of an entire day doing this,” Eymann said. “Now, just a few minutes and the system does the rest. This will allow our customers to spend more of their time on their business and give them the opportunity to add hours of productivity to their day.”

•••

To start easily managing your company’s reputation and social media, contact Kari Packer at 208-664-0215.