Four Ways to Turn Negative Comments into a Positive Experience

• Posted: May 14, 2010 by Stacey Abler/ Last modified: May 14, 2010

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You have uploaded a blog post or a new article to your site. It is well written, informational and makes an impact. Overall, you are proud of the newest addition to your site.

Then it happens.

The negative email or comment arrives. The wind goes out of your sails. Your blood pressure increases a bit and you begin to fire off a heated response.

STOP

It is a normal reaction to get upset when you receive a negative comment in response to something that you have written. But there are ways to turn those negative comments into a positive experience. Think it can’t be done? Read on and I’ll show you how.

1. Really read the comment.

Ignore any overly rude comments and look at what is behind the comment. Is there some constructive criticism in there? Is there an angle you have not considered previously? The negative comments you receive can give you insight into the minds of your readers. And that, my friend, can be very valuable indeed. Give your blood pressure a chance to return to normal and then take the time to examine the comment. There’s always the chance that it is nothing more than a comment left to get under your skin. But more often than not, there is merit. You just have to put your ego to the side and take it all in.

2. Don’t respond to the comment until you can do so calmly.

Remember in the world of the internet, once you have put it out there for the world, it is there. The way you comment reflects on you as the owner or employee of the business as well as the business brand itself. Thank the person for the comment and for the thought that went into their response. Admit that they made you see the issue in a new light and clarify any points made that were perhaps confusing or could be easily misunderstood by other readers. No matter what, don’t fire off a heated response. It may make you feel better in the moment, but ultimately you will regret it.

3. Show other readers you are a professional in your response.

Recently, I saw a famous author make a comment on Facebook only to be torn to shreds by several “fans” of his page. I kept checking back to see how he would respond and in the meantime, some of his other fans chimed in against these negative comments. When he responded, he let all of his readers know that he valued all feedback, even the negative comments. He thanked those who were rude and let them know he would take their comments under consideration. The result? He looked very professional and ultimately gained more respect for keeping his cool through his public bashing.

4. Contact the commenter privately to further discuss the matter.

This is especially important if the commenter had something negative to say about your business as a whole, your products, your services or a recent interaction with your business. This person has opened the door and given you an opportunity to correct the situation. Considering how many customers are lost from a bad experience who never even tell you about it, this is an important opportunity to save the customer relationship and ultimately strengthen it by finding out what you can do to make the person happy.

Invite all feedback – positive and negative – on your site and your blog. Your readers are giving you a chance to interact. Perhaps it is only a challenge to convince them that your company is in fact the best. Perhaps it is an opportunity to correct a previous interaction. Or perhaps it is an opportunity to turn a casual client or customer into a long-term customer who is loyal to your business due to your professional response and attention to their comment.

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