Publication number: ELQ-59216-1
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How to Manage Online Reviews and Business Reputation
The best way to protect your reputation online is to solicit good reviews proactively, learn how-to do so here!
Introduction
Since most small business owners are justifiably proud of the service they deliver, they don’t even anticipate a negative online review or threat to their reputation, until it happens. Unfortunately, trying to recover after the fact is tough. The best way to protect your reputation online is to solicit good reviews proactively, so an occasional negative one will be discounted as an exception.
Even worse, many entrepreneurs don’t even take the time to monitor what people are saying about them to others. Even more importantly, owners have no idea how to respond appropriately, or get the offending comments removed. If you find yourself and your business in one of these categories, it’s time to heed the steps I recommend to every business client today:
- Step n°1 |
Ask for a good review from every satisfied customer.
Not only is this a good way to test your own perception, but it’s the best way to get a positive base built, before that one angry or unfair customer puts your entire business at risk. Customers these days expect to get asked, and often need that little extra push to put a testimonial on your website.
For example, if your business is landscaping, it’s well worth your time as the owner to make one last call on every customer a week after completion, to check their satisfaction, clear up any oversights, ask for a testimonial, and probably get some follow-on work.
- Step n°2 |
Regularly review every customer comment, and reply.
Of course, you can’t monitor the entire Internet yourself, but fortunately there are many tools and platforms out there to do it for you, such as Google Alerts and Hootsuite Insights. If you don’t have the time yourself, this process should be high on the priority list of your marketing team.
If you never respond to comments, customers will quickly assume you don’t really care. Just thank them for their feedback, and try not to be defensive. If necessary, simply apologize for the problem, and provide specifics to assure it won’t happen again.
