This week we’re talking about how to deal with negative word of mouth using tips from the new chapter in the revised edition of Andy Sernovitz’ best-seller, Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking.
When it comes to negative word of mouth, you should almost always respond. Some exceptions include:
- A really small or obscure blog or message board where giving a response would actually give attention or credibility to something that no one saw in the first place
- An attack that is so obviously outrageous, rude, or nutso that everyone who reads it already knows that the writer has a personal problem
- A known attacker who is trying to provoke you to respond so he can attack more
The basic response strategy
- Respond calmly and offer to help. Post a simple, reasonable response and try to fix the problem. Offer a way to contact you.
- Do not get in a fight. You will always lose. It’s their website full of their loyal readers, and they’ll get the last word. Use good vibes and a good sense of humor and be a person who cares.
- Be human. Don’t respond with a corporate, canned response. It’s easy to yell and scream at an anonymous corporation, but when a real human representative politely shows up, everything changes.
- Write for the record. In many ways, your response is not really for the original critics. You’re writing for every future reader, letting them know you saw a problem and tried to fix it.
- Follow up. Remember that now that people are watching, you need to follow up and deliver on what was promised. A one-time visit is not enough.
- Do something wonderful. Every so often, do something amazingly nice for your critics. Replace a product with a huge upgrade, send flowers, mail a handwritten letter, give a gift — whatever. You’ll make new friends and they’ll tell everyone how cool you are.
