Comments on: Do Not Fear the Negative Comment

By: Liz Strauss [dot] com How To Blog Your Way to a Better Relationship

Liz Strauss [dot] com How To Blog Your Way to a Better Relationship — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 02:08:25 +0000

[...] I ended the article, Do Not Fear the Negative Comment, with That is unless we’ve so burned our customers, we have to prove that we’re not just telling them stories. But that’s a different blog post. [...]

By: Liz Strauss [dot] com Blogging Conversation-Dialogue

Liz Strauss [dot] com Blogging Conversation-Dialogue — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:32:48 +0000

[...] I find it interesting as with my earlier discussion of negative comments. The online model of marketing, in this case having conversation, isn’t different from what organizations are already doing. Sales reps, customer service people, marketing folks, CEOs, all members of an organization should be having conversations with customers on a daily basis. Some of those conversations are voice recorded. Some are via email and could be passed on to infinite numbers of other people. [...]

By: Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:35:50 +0000

Hi Mike,
I wrote post about how when you fall off your bike you have to get back on again, especially when the kids you want to talk to are in a park across town on the bike trails.

Customers will talk with or without companies. Companies can cover their ears and not listen, but I think that will just make customers talk more and louder.

I’m with you on the point that facing the information with an open response is the only way to deal with it. But apparently folks like DELL don’t agree. Go figure.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 23:27:28 +0000

I’m glad to see someone use a little common sense when speaking about negative comments.

I hear far too many people say that they are going to stay away from bloggong corporately because of the fear of negative comments.

I think that’s a smokescreen. I think they just don’t want to expose the fact that they have nothing to say. Shallow pools are easily skirted, whereas deep water demands respect.

Do companies believe that customers won’t find a place to bring up the negatives ?

Would it not be better to face it head on and fire back with positive responses and show a willingness to go above and beyond ?

Great post Liz !

By: Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 01:43:35 +0000

Hi Ann,
Thank you and welcome.
Words in print require that we always give the writer the benefit of the doubt and leave our personal feelings out. That’s what you’re advocating and I agree wholeheartedly with standing back and waiting.

It’s so easy to be over-sensitive, especially at the beginning . . . when it can seem like everyone and no one — at the same time — are looking at what you’re writing.

I think your advice to never immediately answer a negative comment with out taking time to breathe first. Finding a way to gracious and generous is really important over the long haul. After all, your next client could be reading your response.

Thanks for taking the time to make such a thoughtful comment.

By: ann michael

ann michael — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 20:56:07 +0000

This is so true. It’s also sometimes true that we interpret a comment as negative when it really isn’t. If you’re getting beat up or if you’re nervous about blogging to begin with – you might tend to be over sensitive. I would recommend NEVER answering a comment you perceive as negative right away – go do something else and come back when you can look at it objectively.

Great post, Liz!