A long time ago, the internet was in its infancy. It was around that same time that modern day advertising was born and started to change the strategies in which advertising was presented. But the conversation was always one-sided; the advertiser telling what the consumer to believe and think. Fast forward to the present…as in the last 10 years and the internet has completely blown up the power of advertising, and consequently, the power of the consumer.
Consumers have a voice now more than ever (thanks Yelp, Amazon, Google+, etc.) so marketing/advertising has shifted to ensure that they can be part of that consumer voice. Ignoring this to be true is always an option, but apathy is not the way to go.
Here are some all-too-common examples I see:
- Negative Review- Someone leaves a negative review on your business and you get mad, but don’t attempt to rectify or understand the issue.
- Mess Up- A customer brings it to your attention that something is wrong with their food and you apologize (and nothing else).
So how should the non-apathetic business owner respond?
- With all negative reviews, I say try to respond directly to the consumer to understand their dissatisfaction. From there, address the issue and promise you’ll look into it. Then go one step further and offer a “make-up” however that look likes. Businesses who genuinely care and address the issue will always win.
- Apologizing verbally is one thing, but showing you’re truly sorry is another. Offer a make-up dish, comp the item, and maybe throw dessert on top of that. When you really think about it, all this is a very cheap marketing tactic that will turn a naysayer into potentially a big fan. Businesses all want big fans.
Acknowledge it now. No business is perfect. Mistakes will happen. How you respond to them…well that can make or break your business.
Think you’ve become apathetic? Let’s discuss over a free marketing consultation!
