Avoid A Paula Deen. Protect Your Professional Image.

The dramatic rise and fall of our nation’s public figures is arguably the most compelling sideshow of all time. With each new act, the media, master of the ring, flaunts fiasco after blush-rendering fiasco, while we, the public, cringe and delight at the pendulum-like ascent and demise of national heroes from Paula Deen to Anthony Weiner. None of us without fault, we often condemn and then pardon these celebrities, all too aware that the same fate might befall us should we see the pinnacle of fame. But unfortunately, not all transgressions are forgiven, and our stars and even our businesses are sometimes enduringly indebted to the price of their PR nightmares.

Avoid such a fate with these 10 tips:

(1) Watch what you say, send, post… and if possible, what you think. Like it or not, you will almost always have an audience who will form an opinion of you based on the messages you transmit.

(2) Ferret out birds of a feather. Loosed lips friends and inconsiderate family members can ruin your rep.

(3) Ponder the past.The internet never forgets, and the abusive missiles you discharged yesterday could harm you tomorrow. Clean up your questionable posts ASAP.

(4) Play a positive note. On the June 9, 2013 One Hundred Pennies, Mallory and Bianca of Small Girls PR taught us all that slandering the competition will only backfire.

(5) Transparency and sincerity are the new black. They work with everything.

(6) Err on the side of caution with a crisis communication plan. You’ll be glad you were safe and not sorry.

(7) Regularly monitor your reputation. Google yourself. Check your company’s reviews. Curtail future image injuries by finding out what your potential employers, competition and/or clientele are saying and seeing about you.

(8) Enlist strong passwords and privacy settings. They are there to protect you.

(9) Show a little restraint. See tip 3. Think before you tweet. 

(10) Consistency is king. Your professional brand is a product that must be appropriately marketed. Think about it. People won’t likely by (or buy from) a vegan-friendly, sustainable food market whose CEO hunts rhinos on the weekends.  [Images via 1, 2, 3, 4]

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