A simple daily Google News search yields the following headlines:

1. Global financial crisis puts Asarco settlements in doubt

2. Foreclosure Crisis Vexes Government

3. Which Candidate’s Plan Would Best East the Mortgage Crisis?

4. Financial Crisis Moves to Gulf Arab Nations

5. U.K.’s Darling to Say Crisis to Be Deeper, Longer than Expected

6. Iran Exports, Oil Earnings Hurt by World Crisis

The list goes on. I don’t mean to depress you but let’s face it: you and I both know that the economy is in dire straights and that even if the big picture isn’t as critical as we think, far too many companies teeter on the brink of extinction.

Stocks are somewhat simple. Buying and Selling determines a ratio of supply versus demand. In a time of panic, many people sell like their stocks are poisonous. The market is flooded with sellers and supply exceeds demand. Prices drop. People and companies lose millions. And yet, in theory at least, all of this could have been settled more agreeably had the masses not panicked and sold their shares.

Let’s look at that briefly. How do you avoid a panic? Know your stakeholders. What are they saying? What are they thinking? Get entrenched in their online conversations. And be a voice. Inform the public in a way that exudes confidence, trust, and coolheadedness. As with most reputation crises, it is my firm belief that a panic can be avoided. A crisis can be managed. But you can’t manage a street level crisis from the penthouse suite.

Armed with the knowledge that the public can be understood, reasoned with, and influenced, an organization can infiltrate online communications and gain back the ground that would be completely lost without such endeavors. Set expectations reasonably. Provide a short-term and a long-term outlook. Advise calmly. And do it as soon as possible. The older information is, the more it is trusted. If your company sees a big hit coming six months from now, start communicating with your stakeholders today. It’s never too soon when you know a crisis is coming.

There are steps to be taken, and it is a delicate maneuver, make no mistake. But online reputation monitoring offers a multitude of uses and benefits. Don’t miss out on the opportunities to manage your future today.

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