By Abe KasboSo Wal-Mart is changing it’s logo I hear. So what? It’s part of a huge reputation repair job. According to Marketing Daily, Wal-Mart’s first revamp of the logo since 1992 comes as the retailer continues to tweak its image after facing criticism from union-led groups and local communities across the nation opposed to big-box store developments. In the time since, Wal-Mart has launched a marketing campaign highlighting its environmentally focused practices and efforts to make health care more affordable for customers through a discounted prescription drug program.”Wal-Mart’s got it right. Managing its reputation is good for its business. Wal-Mart will continue to try to convince people that “what’s good for Wal-Mart is good for America.”  Years of bad press, Wal-Mart Watch campaigns, and local protests have given Wal-Mart some things to thing about, like how to be survive and thrive despite its reputation.  Companies like Wal-Mart really need to think about engaging the market in the following ways:1. Become A Consumer Advocate - Deliver information to the market place to help consumers and key decision makers understand why doing business with your company makes a measurable difference in their daily lives. Wal-Mart’s tag line “Live Better. Save Money” did not spare the company from mass criticism here and abroad even though the tagline conveys “everything” that Wal-Mart would like us to know as consumers.2. Tell the Truth - In everything you do, be forthright with the marketplace. Consumer confidence right now is low because of the economic climate, but anecdotal evidence also suggests that consumers are tired of being lied-to. From Enron, to the sub-prime melt-down, there’s only so people can take. And confidence in your business is not something that can be repaired with a press release or key marketing messages.3. Use Open Mediums – That means the internet. Get your message into the hands of consumer crusaders who can light a fire under your campaigns and get the message out quickly and efficiently.  4. Be Prompt and Aggressive –  An attack on your reputation should be viewed as an attack on your core business. In 1982, Johnson & Johnson faced such an attack when the Tylenol murders happened. Tylenol’s market share collapsed from about 35% to about 8%, but rebounded in less than a year because J&J was upfront and out front of the situation. It controlled the message and introduced the capsules in triple sealed bottles to gain the public’s confidence.  Soon after, Tylenol regained its market leading position. So, being in business means that your reputation is on the line every day. And with the internet, your brand is really in the hands of other people. So controlling your reputation and brand comes down to how well you are prepared to engage the markets – for as long as it takes.