Respond to
Negative Reviews
Haters Gonna Hate
Handle the Heat in 6 Steps
Quite often, business owners call me asking, “Should I respond to this negative comment?” Don't ghost the 1 star review.
Everyone makes mistakes.
Everyone has a customer that they just can’t keep happy.
Follow this checklist, to respond like a pro, not a spiteful ex.
1
Is the Comment true?
First, understand that you are not talking to the person who wrote the comment. You are talking to potential customers who may be reading the comment later down the road.
Now, is the complaint legit?
2
If yes, what did you do to rectify the issue?
Sometimes a negative comment can be an indication of a much larger problem. If the review is true, then you can choose to use this feedback to improve your process.
3
If no, what makes you think it is untrue?
Did the person review the wrong business?
Were they having a bad day? Life happens.
Was it a competitor? You can flex on a fake, but it takes skill.
If the review is untrue, probably act with kid gloves. Grace upon grace. People make mistakes. If you do think this is a competitor, my advice is to be honest with your readers.
"Mr Hooks, we do not have a record of anyone with your name doing business with us in the last few months. Is this review for the right business?" You would only do this if you're sure it's a competitor.
4
Are you able to send a private message?
If you can take the conversation offline, you've got a foot in the door. Ask the reviewer what you could do to get a better comment?
Victory is getting the review removed.
Massive victory if you get the review changed from negative to positive.
5
If this were to happen today, what would be done differently?
Time to start writing.
Tell future customers the fixes you put in place so this never happens to them. Try to use positive language. There's an art to this. Example, in the future we will xyz to ensure this situation is uncovered early.
Try not to use keywords when formulating your response. If you respond with a keyword your comment may be ranked as new quality content. You do not want to bring any more attention to a negative comment. Bottom line, DO NOT use keywords in your negative review responses. You do not need to be overly descriptive. The reader likely read the negative review prior to reading your response. The reader (new customer) has some sense of the issue.
6
Have a neutral person read the review.
If you were a target of the negative review, you might have gotten a bit emotional or long-winded in your response. The neutral person might be able to help you with your response.
If you want me to be that neutral person, sign up for a free consultation.
