Video: How To Deal With Negative Comments And Reviews

By now you understand the importance of blogging. You’re down with clients using review sites like Trulia, Zillow or Yelp to tout about your amazing real estate prowess.

But what happens when blog comments come back negative? What happens when someone leaves a negative review? How do you plan on handling negative feedback in this new social web?

Negative Nancy

I know what you’re thinking,

“No one would ever write a bad review about me!”

The simple fact is, no matter whom you are or how great a job you do, you are going to run into naysayers – especially on the internet. There is no question Negative Nancy’s have existed for a long time, but with the internet it seems the effects are longer lasting and impressionable.

So what’s a real estate agent to do? How do you deal with the internet Negative Nancy’s that pop up on your blog and social sites like Zillow and Yelp? You kill ‘em with kindness.

Here’s your game plan for reacting to negative feedback like a PR pro:

• Respond quickly. Don’t let negative comments or reviews linger or go unanswered. The longer you leave a comment unanswered the more credible it becomes. So everyone that might be looking knows that you care and that you’re listening by jumping into the conversation immediately.
• Apologize. The absolute wrong thing to do at this point is to get into a public Who’s right, Who’s wrong verbal boxing match. Say you’re sorry. Earn the respect of the commenter, and any community members watching, by apologizing publicly and up front.
• Take the conversation offline. Once you’ve addressed the situation publicly, take the conversation either offline or into a more private channel. Give them an appropriate solution to their problem without the prying eyes of the rest of the web.

Above all, you want to make sure that everyone knows you appreciate the feedback. Also, make sure you’re asking them how you can help, and then actually following through.

Don’t Go To The Darkside

We’ve all met those people that like to make noise just to hear themselves talk. They think being a squeaky wheel will get them some attention, or special treatment.

When you encounter these types on the web it’s important to decide who is worth responding to using the 3 tips and who isn’t. It can be tempting to do the unthinkable, to delete their feedback.

I urge you not to give in. Don’t fall victim to the darkside of feedback curation. An agent with nothing but 5 star reviews is going to look shady.

Just remember that transparency is key in this new social web. People appreciate honesty and integrity. Don’t shy away from less than glowing feedback, and you’ll no doubt be rewarded for it.

Action!
As you begin to put you and your business out there more by blogging and engaging in social media, feedback is bound to come your way. You clients can leave reviews about you even if you don’t have a profile on sites like Yelp or Zillow.

What are you doing to encourage feedback, and have you had to handle a negative situation already?

photo credit: Flickr

This article appeared originally on www.TheTickerShow.com.