You can’t please all of the people all of the time.
Online reputation is the lifeblood of any business. 3 out of 4 consumers are more likely to read and trust online reviews versus traditional advertising. Of course, every business is subject to negative reviews. However, actively seeking and responding to reviews is great for business when done properly.
Here are some tips that can help you effectively manage your reviews.
1. Respond Promptly
Whether positive or negative, it’s important to respond to reviews quickly. You don’t want negative reviews stacking up. Putting yourself in between negative reviews breaks up the pattern and shows you’re taking each issue seriously. Responding to positive reviews also illustrates your attentiveness to customers.
2. Respond the Right Way
There are some basic guidelines to follow else you run the risk of doing more damage than the negative review itself. Never trade blows in a back-and-forth with a negative reviewer. While you may take it personally since it’s your livelihood, a negative review could simply because someone had a bad day. The key is to do what you can to rectify the situation when possible or apologize in kind. Simply being understand and listening to a customer concern can go a long way. Also, do not use canned review responses. These are usually obvious and show a lack of interest in your customers concerns. Personally, respond whenever possible.
3. Be Current
If you had a lot of reviews when you first opened and now not so much, maybe it’s time to do a review campaign. 63% of consumers are more likely to buy from a site with current product ratings (iPerceptions).
4. Be Social
93% of shoppers’ buying decisions are influenced by social media. Reach out to positive reviewers or individuals that already use and embrace your products or services to create mini-influencers.
5. Get Help
Most businesses don’t have a reputation manager on staff, nor do they have the tools and experience to monitor and respond to every review. That’s when you call in back up. Talk to Peabody about our reputation management services to keep you in the good graces of the online community.
