Handling Negative Comments: Do You Have a Volunteer Fire Department?
Just about every company - no matter the size - worries about negative comments prior to launching their blog. Most of the time...
- The worries are premature. You're not going to get a lot of comments at the outset.
- The negative comments don't exist. Some companies have great reputations offline, why do they think they're going to get negativity online?
- The negative comments exist, but not about the topics you're blogging about. Sometimes, there will be an isolated negative comment, but if it doesn't pertain to the topic of a post -- it's probably not going to come up on the blog.
- Keep any negativity on your home turf. Having the comments appear on your blog gives you home field advantage. If the negativity doesn't appear on your site, it may appear on your disgruntled customer's blog (are you listening to the blogosphere?).
- Are you selling newspapers? Many look at some of the controversial blogs out there: newspapers, political, celebrity, sports, etc. and think those are the examples to follow. Having a business blog doesn't mean you have to hop on a soap box and create controversy. Negative comments follow controversy.
- What's wrong with negative comments? Sometimes, a negative comment can be very positive. The blogosphere can be a fantastic focus group.
Still, I think the fear of negative comments might be like staring down a dark alley and having to go through it all alone. So don't.
Start building a volunteer fire department. You do this by taking an active role in the conversation on other blogs. Comment on blog sites authored by peers, competitors, prospects, or those that might interest your prospects.
By being an active part of those communities - if/when a fire arises in your backyard, you'll have developed a volunteer fire department to come to your rescue. And many times, your community will stand up for you before you even smell the smoke.
Frankly, the fear of negative comments is often unfounded. But it's always good to know you're not alone in fighting the fires.
Photo on Flickr by HeatherW
Comments