Tips

Do you have associates or family abroad, and do you shy away from calling them more frequently because the numbers are complicated and the rates are high?

In this case, you obviously have not yet discovered the advantages of making phone calls over the internet. With a technology known as “Voice over Internet Protocol” telephone calls can be made via computer networks which have been developed according to Internet standards.
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Having a presence on the World Wide Web is a must for everybody nowadays - whether you’re a job seeker, a small business owner or a boss of a large corporation. Not only is it crucial for networking, but also important in order to ‘control the message’ related to your name or business. Especially if you haven’t launched your own website yet and belong to a profession which is regularly discussed in online chat forums and professional rating websites (I recently wrote an article about doctor rating sites) - then you definitely need to become proactive.

Here are 7 tips what to do:

1. Reputation management in the internet age requires commitment, willingness to communicate and openness to new technology trends. Look at the internet and professional rating websites as an opportunity for an innovative dialog, not a threat.

2. Take the task of designing your internet presence into your own hands. If you don’t have a personal website, act now. If you are an internet neophyte, hire a professional web designer to develop one for you. This is not the timeto be thrifty: It takes a professional and visually appealing website to reflect sincerity and credibility.

3. Update your website regularly. Add new content at least on a weekly basis (news about your industry, for example, or an article discussing your specialty). Weblog software products, such as Wordpress or Typepad are user-friendly andtherefore ideal content management systems for your website.

4. Use the internet to advertise your services (free of charge). Many online directories and referral websites for specialists in your industry offer to publish your personal profile at no charge or for a fee. Take advantage of this opportunity. Don’t disregard directories and lists in your own region. All business is local!

5. Initiate a dialog. Address any negative comments you find about yourself on a referral website regarding your industry. Many opinion forums will publish your answer directly below the patient’s comment. Make sure your response is factual and refrain from adding personal comments.

6. Monitor the rating websites closely, but don’t let emotions get in your way. Although a number of legal issues in this context have yet to be settled, consumers are using their right to express an opinion freely on theinternet. The importance of the World Wide Web as a consumer empowerment tool will continue to escalate. Countless other service providers and product manufacturers have accepted this new reality and faced it head-on. As a representative of the medical industry, which is known to lack transparency, take a leading role and use the opportunity to create a positive image with existing and potential patients by developing a well-defined internet communication strategy.

7. Take legal steps only if a published patient review is obviously defamatory or if it has a damaging effect on your business. Before you take action in the heat of the battle, talk to your attorney or another legal advisor about your options.