The world of social media can often seem like a free-for-all. Sure, social media gives customers a venue to sing your praises, which can lead to higher sales and a stronger reputation. The danger, of course, is that unhappy customers or visitors can take it upon themselves to post negative feedback about your business in a way that could be very damaging. This is one of the major reasons to monitor your brand very closely online.
Set up Google Alerts to send you an email or update via RSS on any mention of your business’ name and then respond as quickly as possible. Learning how to handle all kinds of negative feedback in the social media arena is necessary if you want to limit the spread of the negativity. You can’t control what others do online, but there is one thing you can control: your reaction and response to it.
While it may be tempting to lash out at someone when they say something unfair or unflattering about your company, you have to resist the urge to fight fire with fire. As a business owner, your company’s reputation is at stake. If a person is launching a tirade against you, remember that their lack of control says more about them than it does about you. The same is true, of course, if you lose control yourself and lash out at them. Even if it’s a cut-and-dried situation where you are in the right, people will remember your angry response and lack of restraint.
When you are representing your company, you need to appear calm, cool, and collected. Your clients, customers, and prospects will long remember the professional and polished way in which you handled a negative review. Remember, the best defense is a good offense. Ask your customers to leave positive feedback on your review sites or by email where you can post on your website.
