I remember my first one-star review on Amazon like it was yesterday. It was totally irrelevant to the content of the book. It was almost like they posted a 1-star review just to be seen, but not because they actually read The Secret Watch!
No one likes to read negative reviews about their business, but they happen. Even if you provide an excellent service or great products, there is no telling when someone may simply not like what your company does! Of course, if you have gone through a bad patch in business, you may have accumulated a number of negative reviews. Despite the fact that you have recognized where you went wrong and made changes, those reviews remain, so how do you deal with them? Here are a couple of ideas:
When you notice a negative comment about your business online, try to reach out and resolve the issue. Find out why they are unhappy and see if you can come to a suitable resolution. Even if you do not agree with the customer and what they have said about your business, you need to show that you understand that they are annoyed and you want to resolve this. When you do this, it shows that you genuinely care about the experience that people have with your business.
If you are able to resolve the issue, ask the customer to update the review and note the resolution. Or add your own comment if it's on a site like Amazon. If you are unable to resolve the problem, the mere fact that you have reached out on the review page will show to others that you have at least tried to resolve things. That builds trust and helps to reduce the impact of the negative review.
Reviews make up just one area of online marketing. Search engine optimization, social media marketing, and the entirety of your online presence all matter. By ensuring that all other areas of your marketing are working in concert, you give yourself the best chance of being able to withstand a few bumps in the road when it comes to online reviews. You can also consider using paid social media advertising and other visibility tools like media appearances and PR to help your company be seen in a more positive light.
Sure, it's upsetting to see negative about your business, but if you're not selling schlock, take it with a grain of salt. If you deal with these comments in the right way, you can actually end up turning a bad situation into a good one. You can use negative reviews to show people that you care about your customers and their thoughts and feelings. People WANT to know you care!