Recently, I had some problems with a home improvement contractor who made some promises that he can’t keep. It’s gotten to the point where I am about to report it to the BBB and online sources. Right now, we are just threatening him as leverage.

However, I have not pulled the trigger on it just yet, because I know as an internet marketer how destructive that a pissed off customer can be. According to a recent marketing book by Pete Blackshaw, the average angry consumer tells 3000 people about their frustration with a company that does them wrong. If the pissed off consumer is technically savvy or an internet marketer, the danger is much much worse. I truly believe that a tech savvy consumer can completely destroy a small business that wrongs them in a matter of days.

While this is quite empowering as a consumer, as a business owner it’s downright scary. You work for years to build a business and someone can tear it down quickly. I know that most business owners do their best but sometimes things simply happen. Here are some tips to protect your online reputation.

1. Don’t let it happen. Well, that sounds obvious, but you would be amazed at how many businesses let complaints slide, or simply ignore them. Most people will complain to you and make threats before reporting it to BBB and online review sites. Take these complaints seriously.
2. Get good reviews. The best way to combat bad reviews is to have good reviews. Claim your profile at Google Places, Yahoo Local, Bing Local, Thumbtack, Yelp, Judy’s Book, Yellow Book and the other places where reviews are done. Get your satisfied customers to post good reviews on your company. That way, if a bad review does slip in there, it will be negated by good reviews. By the way, Google does look at the reviews that your site has. A site with a lot of good reviews will get rewarded and placed higher in the search engines.
3. Respond immediately to any negative feedback. Sometimes things just happen and a bad review gets posted that you may not even be aware of until months later. Most review sites have a way to tell your side of the story on any bad feedback. It’s very important that you respond to any negative feedback immediately.
4. Set up Google Alerts and monitor your company. Google has a great tool called Google Alerts where you can monitor anything said about your company. You should set one up immediately on your company name and your personal name so you can be sure that your reputation is protected.

The best defense is a good offense. While I can’t protect you from negative feedback, I can help you set up those all important review site accounts which will help you rank higher on the search engines and will help you get positive customer feedback. Contact me today for the full details and a price quote.