Online reviews and testimonials can be the bread and butter for businesses. Naturally, you want five stars and raving compliments that showcase your amazing products and services. Unfortunately, there may come a time when someone rates you on the other side of the scale, potentially leaving a scathing remark or unpleasant comment about their interaction with your organization.

In today’s world, reputation management is major, but many companies simply don’t realize they need to act on feedback (both positive and negative!) If you’ve received a bad review, here are some things you can do:

Change Your Frame of Mind

First things first — Not every negative review is necessarily a bad thing. As your business grows, you’ll interact with more and more people, and, as the old saying goes, you can’t please everyone.

Your company won’t be a great fit for every single customer, and that’s okay. It’s important to keep this in mind, rather than letting negative reviews eat you alive. You should also bear in mind that many people stay silent after a bad experience and simply don’t come back. Those customers who take the time to leave you negative reviews are giving you the gift of opportunity so you can see things from their perspective, respond compassionately and make appropriate adjustments.

Acknowledge Mistakes

If your business made a blunder, don’t let the bad review ride without commenting. Apologize for the mistake, and offer your contact information by way of a public reply. This will show other consumers that you’re serious about customer service and willing to go the extra mile to remedy a negative situation.

Don’t Get Defensive

If a review angers you, walk away for a while! It’s probably not going anywhere. Publicly respond to all comments – positive and negative — but don’t employ shaming or defense tactics. Instead, utilize empathy, understanding, and sensitivity to approach the situation.

A great reputation is an excellent start to successful inbound marketing. Zebra Marketing Solutions can help you build a foundation that keeps clients coming to your door. Check out our services, and give us a call when you’re ready to learn more!

For more information on social media and digital marketing, please contact us at www.zebramarketingsolutions.com/contact or book a Complimentary 30 minute Strategy Session by clicking here! You can also like us on Facebook and Twitter for more useful marketing tips!

Social Media can be a powerful marketing tool, but with the latest algorithms on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, only a fraction of your subscribers actually see your posts. The trick to staying on the forefront of their minds and in their newsfeeds is to invite engagement across platforms. Once they like or comment on a post, they are more likely to see future posts, pictures, offers, and links. The question then becomes, how do you invite this type of engagement?

1. Ask a Question

People are far more likely to interact with a post if it poses an interesting question. These questions do not always have to directly relate to your product or service. They can invite discussion about a timely topic, a topic that is related to your product or service, or simply about their personal lives. Remember to avoid topics dealing with politics, religion, or other controversial topics.

2. Provide a Link

Give people a quick way to interact with your website, especially if you are selling a product. If you have special pricing for a holiday or other promotion, give your customers a way to link directly to the special. This makes it more likely that they will return to that post to click through rather than searching the website separately.

3. Engage With Your Customers

It is not enough to pose a question and then allow your customers to lead the discussion. Instead, respond to their questions, engage with them on a personal level, and get to know what is driving their decisions. People are more likely to return to a social media page if they feel they are a member of that community, that their responses are seen and acknowledged.

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