Whether bad-mouthing a product via Twitter or leaving a scathing review on Yelp, unhappy customers—or mischievous competitors—can and will sully your business, often through anonymous accounts. "While brand-bashing is nothing new," writes Pamela Seiple at the HubSpot blog, "the tools of the web and social media make the comments from these meanies even more lasting and impressionable." So how do you fight back? Seiple has advice like this:

Determine whether the comment deserves your attention. Some people leave outrageous comments with the sole purpose of generating conflict. If they don't seem to have a following, and anyone can see their comments are routinely malicious, their venomous feedback might not rate any reaction.

Make a quick response your first priority. The longer you let a negative comment go unanswered, the more credibility it gains with a user's friends and followers. An immediate reply, however, shows that you're paying attention and concerned about the problem.

Apologize, even if the customer is incorrect. A petty argument about who's right and who's wrong will accomplish little. And, notes Seiple, most observers see silly complaints for what they are.

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