So your business is Facebooking, blogging, Tweeting, and gaining attention from your customers and potential new business. You feel excited that you are now a part of the internet highway and byway of true business dealings. Until someone sends you a post that’s not so nice. And then you find another post about your business and you that’s absolutely absurd. How can they get away with such lies and slander?
Guess what, the more you do online, the more visible you are. Yes, this is a good thing. But it also makes you and your business vulnerable to bad publicity. What do I mean? Let’s dig a little deeper.
- Let’s say that one of your competitors is hoping to get a run on the market. However, you are one of the top in your industry and going strong. So instead of your competitor playing nice, they decide to post derogatory comments across the internet. Their goal is to deface your business and annihilate the competition, you. So they start posting untrue facts about your business or your service or your product.
- You recently had a personal downfall with a loved one. Your business is just starting to take off, until one of your friends finds a very nasty post about you and your business. Noting how your ethics are far from true and how you have had client complaint after another. Or they complain about your business as a past client. But wait a minute, you don’t even know this client. What are they talking about?
- You got into business to truly help people, but as we know, many will take advise from experts and never put it into place. Your an honest person so you give them the best advise you can. But instead of taking this advise and moving forward, they decide to be vindictive. Not only do they post obnoxious and untrue comments, they do it every where they can. Under every alias address they can find. Their goal is to watch you suffer.
Hopefully, none of you have had to go through this. But unfortunately, in a business world where many feel threatened or lacking the confidence to move forward they get desperate. So they post untrue facts trying to build their business on your client’s coat tails. Or they are hurt by how successful you are and they aren’t. So instead of looking to improve their business in a positive way, they work hard to pull yours down.
This can certainly put a damper on your marketing efforts. Some have had to pay good money to get these untrue comments taken down. However, not all is lost. Consider this a compliment. I realize this sounds a bit off, but think about the main reason most post derogatory comments that aren’t true. Jealousy, envy, hurt…..the list can go on forever. But if this does happen to you, here’s my advise. Whatever you do, don’t ignore it. Start posting with happy client testimonials. Or how you plan to rectify the situation by offering them a huge discount or a freebie. Either way, you are telling the public that your customer’s matter and you are working to make it right. Also, the key to bad publicity is to react quickly. Check out some of these great articles and resources to help you get back on track to a positive marketing campaign.
