Most small businesses have the opportunity to receive online feedback or reviews about their products or services. Some very smart small business owners realize the importance of any negative criticism and react quickly to counter their critics.
A recent study conducted at the Emerson College School of Communication in Boston indicated negative reviews by film critics had more of an impact than positive reviews. These negative reviews affected gross sales more so than the positive reviews.
What this study of 1,100 movies from 2015-2017 confirmed is negative does sell, but not in a good way. Negative sells the message your solution (product or service) is not worth buying.
Understanding human behavior helps to recognize human beings are negatively conditioned from early childhood. Children hear a plethora of don’ts. These don’ts are to keep them safe until they are old enough to understand the reasons behind the don’ts. Unfortunately, this negative conditioning becomes subconscious and stays with many of them throughout their adult lives.
With more and more of your customers shopping online, online reviews are becoming increasingly powerful factors in your customer’s decision-making process. Savvy small business owners who understand the economic drain of negative reviews will monitor known review websites. They will respond proactively and respectfully. Additionally, they may also encourage positive reviews to offset the negative reviews.
Using Google Alerts, small business owners and even sales professionals can receive alerts about their company or even their own name if it appears on the internet. By establishing individual searches with the company’s name in quotes, to restrict all other search returns, are another way to discover any negative reviews or comments. Membership groups such as Facebook will not be part of these search returns and require individual monitoring.
Emerson College’s study is in alignment with other customer service research. Ruby Newell-Legner in “Understanding Customers” suggested it takes 12 positive experiences to make up for one unresolved negative experience. The White House Office of Consumer Affairs revealed news of bad customer service reaches more than twice as many ears as praise for good customer service experiences.
Hiding in a cave by ignoring negative online reviews will not grow your small business and those negative reviews will continue to drain your bottom line. Remember to respond by demonstrating your positive core values while maintaining your professionalism.
Leanne Hoagland-Smith is an author, speaker and executive coach. Her weekly column explores issues that impact the bottom line of firms with fewer than 100 employees. She can be reached at 219-508-2859.