Why You Don’t Have to Be Afraid of Reviews
January 25, 2024
Few things strike fear in the hearts of business owners quite like a bad review. You may have a love-hate relationship with Yelp, and cover your eyes when you get a notification of a new review.
What if you didn’t have to be afraid of reviews?
Have you ever heard the saying that feedback is a gift? It sounds cliché, but if you reframe how you think about reviews—especially bad ones—your business will be stronger and healthier in the long run. How you respond to negative reviews can determine whether you win back a customer or lose them forever.
Instead of thinking of a bad review as a ding against your reputation, look at it as an opportunity to improve your service. There’s a good chance your customer just told you exactly what they expected in the review, and if not, most of the time they’ll be willing to talk with you about what happened.
Worried about a less than 5-star average?
Believe it or not, you probably don’t want a 5-star average on your review websites. Research has shown that five stars is often viewed as too good to be true, and purchase likelihood peaks between 4 and 4.7 stars. So don’t sweat the occasional bad review—it makes the good ones more trustworthy and authentic.
If that still makes you nervous, think about asking your customers for reviews. It’s important to consistently find ways to boost your online profile and cultivate the best possible reviews. (Need help? The Mindbody Marketing Suite can help you turn your critics into your greatest fans.)
