As part of what I do, I get alerts from Google on mentions of particular items/phrases. One of the phrases I watch out for is, of course, “personal reputation management”. Over the last couple of months I have been alerted to various items and research statistics including:

♦  33% of people routinely search someone’s name (their name, not the name of their firm) before contacting them in a business context.

♦  Up to 77% of potential clients, partners or prospects use Google, at some point, to research the background of an individual working for a potential supplier or business contact.

♦  87% of us believe that the CEO’s reputation is an important part of a company’s reputation

♦  78% of executive recruiters routinely use search engines to learn more about candidates

♦  35% have eliminated candidates based upon information found

I can’t actually vouch for the accuracy of the research but, based upon my own experience, together with the anecdotal experience of colleagues, contacts and acquaintances, I don’t think that they are far off.

So in summary, lots of us are routinely conducting name searches on individuals that we are thinking of contacting in a business context and, up to 77% have used this method at some point. The vast majority of us also believe that the personal reputation of the boss of a firm is very important to their company.

In the jobs market, executive recruiters use name search as a “standard” tool and our online reputations are a potentially a very important part of the decision making process.

What happens if someone searches your name on Google? Are the results helping, hindering or non-existent? Give me a call (0845 2994229) if you need some help or advice.

Philip Westerman, De Leon

Our current design work for our website, brochure, stationery, etc was entrusted to a local design and marketing agency called Side-A.  The boss is a chap called Simon Ashley and their offices are in the village of Long Crendon on the Bucks/Oxon border.

I became aware of Side-A as a result of receiving a copy of their “newsletter”.  Not very innovative or exciting you may say!  Bear with me.

I had a meeting in London first thing and had elected to take the 7.30am commuter train on the Chiltern Line from Haddenham and Thame Parkway to Marylebone.  It was actually a nice bright morning as I stood on the platform waiting with all of the other bleary-eyed “suits” setting off for their day in town.

On the north bound platform opposite, on a bench, reading the morning paper, sat someone in a gorilla suit, with a pink tutu, reading the morning newspaper, apparently waiting for a northbound train.

Even the conservative, non-speaking commuters were stirred from their routines to wonder, and even talk to other passengers about the “vision” opposite.  I then became aware of someone moving down my platform handing out a newsletter entitled “Go Gorilla!”

Once we were on the train, I noted the amount of people reading the newsletter – some people even smiling.

The newsletter was unusual, quirky, written in a very overt and friendly style with case studies, testimonials, marketing news, etc.  The newsletter showed examples of quirky marketing campaigns – but also some more high-brow design work with gravitas and quality. One of its main messages was that you don’t have to pay top London Agency rates to get top quality creativity and design.

To cut a long story short, I called Simon Ashley, had a meeting with him and gave them De Leon’s design and creative work for our rebranding. This blog, and this site, is their work and, I hope, you agree that they know what they are doing!

QED – Gorilla Marketing works!

Philip Westerman, De Leon Ltd, Personal Reputation Management