Thoughts and inspirations from

“HOW NEGATIVE COMMENTS AND

REVIEWS CAN ACTUALLY BE GOOD

FOR YOUR BUSINESS”

On the Internet, everyone has an opinion. As a small business owner, you may be worried that

negative online reviews may hurt your brand and drive customers away.

This is a natural fear, but if you properly respond to negative reviews and comments, you can fl ip these concerns into a positive experience.

Next, we will discuss how to turn these negative experiences into positive ones.

INTRODUCTION

It is almost inevitable that, if reviews exist of your company, some number of them will be negative. This phenomenon exists because people are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive review.

Ultimately, this makes perfect sense. If you received the product or service you expected from a business, you likely won’t leave a review every single time. Generally speaking, reviews are only left in extremely good or bad experiences—in both cases, the contents will likely be descriptive and visceral.

NEGATIVE REVIEWS

You should care seriously about these reviews. Studies have found that 89% of consumers have

viewed online as trustworthy, with another 80% of them having been influenced by the content of a review.

In fact, in 2011 85% of participants in a survey said they would be more likely to purchase a product if they could find additional positive reviews for the product online.

NEGATIVE REVIEWS

Responding in a measured, civil, and helpful manner is vital in these situations. The correct response can show the person who left the review, as well as others viewing the review, that your business cares about the opinion of their customers. When responding, remember to remain positive, agreeable,

and helpful. Remind your customer that their concerns are valid, and that you are willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy their needs.

Be punctual with your response. On top of saying the right thing, it is helpful to reply promptly. Not only does it help resolve the issue more quickly, it also shows that your business stays on top of their reviews.

SO HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND?

Above all else, remember that your goal is to turn a negative situation into a positive interaction.

Don’t fight fi re with fi re—be the most caring and helpful representative of your business as you can be.

SO HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND?