{"id":5945,"date":"2015-06-12T04:19:02","date_gmt":"2015-06-12T02:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mention.com\/blog\/?p=5945"},"modified":"2023-02-03T16:47:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T16:47:55","slug":"responding-to-negative-mentions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mention.com\/en\/blog\/responding-to-negative-mentions\/","title":{"rendered":"Negative Online Mentions: How to Respond Like a Champ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Negative online mentions about your brand are a huge bummer. They\u2019re also inevitable when you\u2019re managing customer support or running a PR, marketing, or a social campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A global survey<\/a> by Deloitte ranks reputation as executives\u2019 top strategic risk. What really surprised me about the study was most executives don\u2019t believe their reputation management strategies are strong enough to support their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every day customers are talking about your brand online. From daily mentions to a larger (knock on wood) crisis, knowing how to respond is a must. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take it from Taylor Swift, sometimes the \u2018haters are gonna hate.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, the way you respond – after doing your obligatory \u2018shake it off’ dance – can revolutionize your reputation strategy and improve your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you’ve ever wondered “how do I answer negative comments online”, here are five tips to help you write your best answers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respond As Soon As Possible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bad news travels fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more proactive you can be about responding, the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cResearch shows that customer emotions become permanent with time. It\u2019s best for an effective intervention to take place as close to the experience as possible,\u201d says Baba Shiv<\/a>, Stanford Professor of Marketing at Stanford\u2019s Graduate School of Business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customers expect quick responses on social media, especially on Twitter. Many companies hire employees to do just that – and only that. You care about your customers, and they want to feel important and heard. Show them your humility and compassion sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starbucks does a great job of responding quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Take Responsibility For Your Actions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Owning up to mistakes (even if it’s not entirely your fault) will regain the trust of your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, thank them for bringing the issue to your attention. Then outline the steps you\u2019ll take to ensure it won\u2019t happen again. You might think your customers don\u2019t want to know the nitty gritty details. And they may not. But they\u2019ll appreciate your willingness to share them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few years ago, Applebee\u2019s unintentionally turned one negative Facebook mention into a social media disaster<\/a> by allegedly deleting customer complaints on their Facebook page.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Instead of taking ownership of the gaf, they got involved in a viral online argument that went into the wee hours of the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get Creative With Your Messaging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The challenge with online communication is that it can be impersonal. Your audience can\u2019t read your facial expressions or tone of voice. It can be difficult to convey humility or empathy, especially in 140 characters or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If text responses aren\u2019t enough, a well-executed video is a great way to put a face to your response. It will humanize your brand and show you\u2019re willing to make big gestures to care for customers.

Last week, Southwest Airlines launched a sale that triggered some technical difficulties on their website. In response, they posted a video on their blog. What can you do to replicate their success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n