Originally posted on July 12, 2016; Updated on Aug 26, 2022
You put your all into your business and do your best daily to do everything you can to grow your business and make your customers happy. Your website's rocking, social media is busy, and everything is perfect. Then it happens: a negative review. You’re crushed. Maybe even angry. Your first thought is to try and get the bad review removed, or to respond, defending yourself. You should really hold your horses before doing anything drastic! Handling negative reviews the right way can provide huge benefit to your digital marketing efforts! Get in touch with Smart WSI Marketing to learn more about our review management services.
Statistics show that 95% of customers read online reviews and that the star rating is the number one piece of information people rely on to judge your business. In fact, only 9% of potential customers will consider your business if it only has one or two stars. With that information in hand, you might think we've lost our minds when we tell you that negative reviews can benefit your digital marketing efforts for your Alberta business, but trust us, we really haven't!
Back away from the computer and take a deep breath then re-read the negative review so you can see what problem needs to be addressed. Craft your response so it solves the problem in a polite and friendly manner. Yes, we know it's hard, but think of it as killing them with kindness. When people see that your business is being run by a real person that cares about their customers' experience, amazing things can happen. You already know that building trust in your brand is paramount to your digital marketing success, and this is a sure way to do just that.
Often, handling a negative review well can result in the reviewer changing their rating. If you handle the problem privately, be sure to post that you did reach out and help the customer, so readers see that you did respond.
While negative reviews can be turned into positive experiences, positive reviews are your main goal. To encourage these, use widgets or call-to-actions to encourage people to leave a review of your business. Never use bribes or create fake reviews; they will come across as unnatural which will have a detrimental effect on people reading them. Most of all, provide your customers with such a great experience that they want to tell the world!
We’ve given you all these tips and information, now what? It’s time to get your digital marketing going with some reviews about your business! Call Smart WSI Marketing today so that we can get busy building you digital marketing strategy that uses the power of reviews to your advantage!
Lynne is known for her strategic approach to marketing communications, technologies, and lead generation. She has a passion for education, keeping up with current marketing trends and practices, and helping clients keep ahead of their competition.
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