How to Respond to Positive and Negative Reviews

Social Media, as you know, is very time consuming if you are doing it correctly. Not just posting valuable content, but also responding to your followers’ comments, messages, and reviews. This alone is a full time position. In today’s digital age, a business’s reputation is controlled by consumers using online review platforms such as Facebook, Yelp, and Google to publicly announce the quality of a business. During meetings with our clients it often comes up that if someone leaves a negative review, it gets deleted. They were an unhappy customer, no matter what you say to them it won’t change their opinion, and/or you don’t want to taint the positive customer pool with such negativity.

What if we told you, your negative reviews could actually be making you look better? Anyone can handle a positive review and accept something nice being said about them. But how you handle negative feedback is what can actually set you apart. I’m going to cover how to respond to both positive and negative reviews.

How to respond to Positive Reviews

Sounds easy enough, right? Probably. Responding to positive reviews shows customers you care about them even after a transaction. It is the perfect way to highlight the best qualities of your business, and to spread the good word. Respond to all reviews in a timely matter.

First things first. Give thanks. A simple thank you followed by their name goes a long way. After all, it’s a pretty big deal when a customer creates positive content about your business. While only 1% of users actively creating content, 92% of consumers read them. So when a customer takes time out of their day to tell you just how much they enjoyed their experience with you, remember to show your appreciation.
“Thank you for the great review, Trisha!”
Mention your company name when necessary and Keywords. Don’t spam your response, once is plenty.
“BPetersonDesign puts a lot of thought and research into our Digital Marketing packages, so we’re excited you are happy with the results!”
Add a dash of marketing. You don’t want to come off as a pushy salesman, but mentioning a new feature or promotion to inform a customer isn’t always to benefit your company, but it genuinely is to benefit the customer as well. Which just shows how above and beyond your service truly is.
“We are offering 20% off our Platinum Package in August if you wanted to experience how the upgraded package performs for your company.”
Leave it with a lasting impression. Ending your review with a grateful ending will show just how much you appreciate their time.
“Again, thank you for joining the BPD partnership. We value your support!”
Share the Review. A positive review is free marketing material, so make the most of it by responding publicly and sharing it on other social media platforms.

How to respond to Negative Reviews

Here comes the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Responding to Negative Reviews isn’t the most fun thing we’ve ever done in our life. One thing to keep in mind is 70% of unhappy customers will continue to use your company if you fix the problem. You are also not just responding to a disappointed customer, you are showing potential customers how you handle your business.

First, calm down. It’s not a great idea to respond when you’re feeling feisty or angry. Don’t wait too long, it’s best to respond in a timely matter.
Remember you want to win back the customer and show other clients you care enough to make things right.
Apologize, even if it isn’t your fault. “We sincerely apologize you didn’t have an exceptional experience.”
Assure the reviewer (and anyone who’s reading) that this experience rarely occurs. “Our team usually receives compliments on their excellent customer service team.”
Repeat the positives from the customer review, if there there are any. This will reinforce the idea that your company is usually on the ball.
Last but not least, offer to make it right. Take it offline and ask the reviewer to email, call or visit your business so you can fix the problem and leave him with the stellar experience your business usually offers. Offer a discount for their next purchase. The goal here is not to bribe them for a better review, but to genuinely try to make things right.

Keep in mind you can’t please everyone. Some unhappy customers just won’t return to your business, and that’s okay. Focus on building better relationships with happy customers. You will eventually bury the negative review by getting new positive reviews. You will always get a sour apple in the bunch, and it will help your other consumers trust your business more seeing how you handle it.