When a small business receives a negative review on Facebook it can not only be utterly heart breaking, it also has the potential to damage the business you have so lovingly built from scratch.
Despite our blood, sweat and tears sometimes sh$t happens and the result is a gut-wrenching review on Facebook.
Staffing issues, crossed wires, process fails or a less-than-perfect product slips through the cracks. Or let’s be honest, someone has simply taken a disliking to you for whatever reason and want to hit you where it hurts.
“Someone has left a bad review on my Facebook page, help what do I do?!” is the panicked question I was asked twice this week so I wanted to lay out the basic options to handle it. Hopefully you won’t find yourself in this situation, but if you do please remember:
a) You’re not alone! Every business large and small will go through this at some point or another
b) This isn’t as bad as it seems. You can turn this into a positive outcome
c) Don’t let this be a confidence killer. You are where you are meant to be, you are amazing at what you do and you can rise above this experience and keep on killin’ it!
So, what is the best way to handle it? Here are a few tips to consider:
– Don’t ignore it. Todays consumer makes purchase decisions based on ratings, reviews and testimonials (this is called “user social proof”. A blog post on that later on!) Try to view it as an opportunity to vocalise and embody your brand values and turn someones negative experience into a positive one. You never know, you might get a raving fan out of it!
– Carefully craft a short, succinct response coming from a place of empathy and as much as your personal emotions removed from it. This is of course if you feel it is a genuine experience. 2-3 sentences MAX! If an apology is needed, swallow your pride and give one.
– Seek positive reviews. Getting new, positive reviews will naturally push the negative one down the list. Reach out to existing customers via email or in person if you can. If they’re really happy customers, even better! – Reply and reach out to resolve the issue with the customer ‘offline’ and ask them to kindly update their review once everyone is happy
– If it is a written review and you believe it is unfounded or false you can report it to Facebook. If it doesn’t meet their community standards they will remove it. I’m not sure on how often this happens or how quickly it works, but its worth a try. – Turn off Facebook reviews on your page. This is an extreme option as reviews really are such a powerful tool to convert. It can be the only reason someone chooses you over another business. However there are some cases, such as trolling, that it is necessary. Especially if it’s effecting your person well being. At the end of the day that’s the most important thing.
If you would like to know more about marketing your business on social media, drop me a line and we can chat. I offer a range of services to help small business build big brands through smart, simple and fun marketing strategies.
I believe all small business owners have the ability to market themselves strategically, sometimes we just need a bit of guidance and a push in the right direction.
Do you struggle with marketing and want to evolve your business?
I help women save time, stay focused and see better results from their marketing. Get in touch and we can organise an informal chat over the phone to get your clear, honest and real about where you are now and where you want to be.
Lisa x
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