Your reputation is your most valuable asset..
Managing Reputation in the Digital Age
“Your Reputation Is Your Most Valuable Asset.”
That powerful reminder echoed throughout the room as Tosin Adefeko, top PR expert and founder of AT3 Resources, took the stage at #LAITISLC2025 in Nairobi, delivering a masterclass on Reputation Management in the Digital Age.
In a world where perception often equals reality, her message was clear:
A great reputation isn’t just earned — it is managed.
Performance + Behaviour + Communication = Reputation
So, how are you an excellent school, leader, or business — but no one knows? It’s time to change that.
Welcome to the Opinion Economy
We’re all media now.
Armed with a phone, anyone can build or break a brand. Social media has democratized influence, making your digital footprint as important as your physical one.
What you say, post, or ignore… shapes your reputation.
And your reputation directly affects the bottom line.
What Is Public Relations Really About?
Tosin defines PR as more than publicity — it’s strategic relationship building and influence management.
It includes:
✔️ Campaign Planning
✔️ Media Engagement
✔️ Community Outreach
✔️ Crisis Communication
✔️ Ongoing Reputation Management
It’s about owning your voice, shaping your narrative, and influencing how you are perceived by stakeholders, the public, and the media.
The Risk of Silence
Don’t wait until crisis strikes before you care about how your brand is seen.
The cost of a damaged reputation includes:
Loss of trust
Decline in student enrollment or parent loyalty
Loss of funding or donor support
Reduced team morale
Negative media spotlight
Why Reputation Is a Tangible Asset
Contrary to popular belief, reputation is not intangible. It drives:
🏫 For Schools: Enrollment growth, teacher recruitment, donor trust
🏢 For Organizations: Brand loyalty, free press, top talent attraction
👤 For Individuals: Career growth, expanded networks, credibility
As Tosin emphasized:
“Your reputation belongs on your balance sheet — manage it like every other key asset.”
How to Measure and Monitor Reputation
Tosin offered tools for proactive management:
📊 Brand Audits (Internal and External)
📣 Google Alerts for media mentions
🧠 Sentiment Analysis tools like Brandwatch or Reputology
📋 Customer & Employee Surveys
📱 Social Listening across digital channels
⚠️ Lessons from Real Crises
Tosin shared notable case studies across corporate and education sectors that highlight the consequences of poor reputation management:
🟠 Sterling Bank’s Easter Ad (2022) – backlash due to insensitivity
🟠 Nivea’s Skin-Lightening Campaign (2017) – accused of promoting colorism
🟠 Chrisland Schools Viral Video (2022) – delayed public response hurt trust
🟠 Dowen College Tragedy (2021) – poor crisis communication deepened damage
🟠 Deeper Life High School Bullying Allegation (2020) – viral backlash, delayed empathy
🟠 Queen’s College Water Crisis (2017) – loss of lives due to negligence
Each of these cases reveals a consistent truth:
When reputation is ignored, the consequences are severe and far-reaching.
10 Winning Strategies for Online Reputation Management
1️⃣ Monitor your digital footprint regularly
2️⃣ Optimise your social media profiles professionally
3️⃣ Post content that reflects your values and voice
4️⃣ Engage positively on all platforms
5️⃣ Respond to reviews — good or bad — with professionalism
6️⃣ Amplify positive feedback across channels
7️⃣ Keep your website clean, user-friendly, and mobile-optimized
8️⃣ Build alliances with credible influencers and thought leaders
9️⃣ Use ads to boost positive content and push down negative noise
🔟 Be transparent when mistakes happen — rebuild trust through openness
The Proactive Strategy Framework
Tosin left us with this 7-step blueprint:
🎯 7 Steps to Managing Reputation Proactively:
Be Transparent
Define Your Values and Principles
Craft a Clear Brand Identity
Develop Core Messages
Identify and Speak to Your Audience
Monitor Feedback and Respond
Plan Ahead for Issues Before They Happen
🔁 Bonus: Review your strategy regularly. The world changes — so should your reputation game plan.
✨ Final Takeaway
“It’s not enough to be excellent — you must be seen as excellent.”
– Tosin Adefeko
Let’s move from invisibility to influence.
Your school. Your leadership. Your voice.
The world needs to see it.
Love and Light
Dr. Abimbola Ogundere
Founder, LAIT AFRICA
#ReputationManagement #LAITISLC2025 #VoiceAndVisibility #TosinAdefeko #PRinEducation #LeadershipInTheDigitalAge #CrisisCommunication #SchoolBranding #LAITAfrica