How To Turn Bad Reviews Into New Customers

Nobody wants to get negative reviews, but the good news is that they don’t need to be a bad thing. In fact, you can use what those customers say to create some excellent copy.

So, if your company receives negative public customer reviews or bad feedback from customers and clients in person or on the phone, the advice here can help you to turn the situation around and turn it into a positive.

Bad Reviews Can Be Useful

These days, reviews couldn’t be more important for any business. More than 95% of shoppers online now check reviews before making a purchase, so it isn’t too surprising that businesses start to panic when they get bad ones. Yet, there’s no need to be too worried if you get a few negative testimonials or even more than a few. You can overcome them, or even leverage them to your advantage by finding out why they’ve happened and how.

First, you need to separate your reviews into ones that are down to your errors and the ones that are really the client’s own fault. Of course, you’re going to get a bad review if you’ve done something wrong, but sometimes, some people will complain even if everything went perfectly. Some people simply can’t be pleased.

What you need to do is not worry too much about the latter category of complaints, but to recognize the mistakes you’ve made in the former and be truthful about them. Sincere apologies go a long way towards making up for your errors. Embracing your vulnerabilities and weaknesses is paramount if you want to win back more customers.

The Importance Of Vulnerability

People who show vulnerability are more likely to forge longer-lasting relationships when compared with people who don’t. So, what does being vulnerable mean? It means letting go of the ego, sharing your fears and truthfully expressing your feelings. If this works with friends and family members, then it works equally well with customers.

Customers are keen to be shown that you understand what they want and how they feel and, more importantly, that you can provide the optimal solution to their problems. If you apologize correctly, you can build up trust and that will lead to greater customer satisfaction. It can even help you to win back those clients and customers you’ve already lost, turning them into profitable and loyal advocates for your brand.

How To Leverage That Negative Feedback

Since you’re now aware of how negative feedback can be turned around to make it a positive, you need to know how you can leverage it to your advantage.

First, compile all of the negative reviews you’re able to find. Next, examine all of those reviews carefully to find out what people are complaining about. Highlight the customers’ pain points. The next step is to repeat the same process but using your competitors’ reviews, again highlighting the customers’ pain points. This will help you to determine what needs to be addressed to excel in your industry.

The next step is to craft a good email campaign using those pain points. A five-part series of emails should address the situation effectively. The first email should be a welcome message, followed by three more value-based emails and finally a sales email that directs them to your landing page. In those emails, you need to acknowledge your mistakes and vulnerabilities while also conveying the strengths of your business to those leads. Make sure to select a powerful title so that recipients are likely to open them.

When you’re writing the email copy, make sure you do it in a way that generates trust. Ensure that you empathize with customers and show that you understand why they’re experiencing issues with your business. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to tell the reader how you’ve solved the problem, explaining why those pain points won’t happen again and how they are able to benefit from the solution you’ve provided.

Why Do These Tactics Work?

Honest emails surprise people and really stand out from the crowd. Most emails that people receive are full of typical and generic marketing material. Choosing the right powerful subject line will get your message noticed for all the right reasons.

Once they’ve opened the email, the tone and content that you choose will help to build up the reader’s trust until they are willing to give your business another chance. As long as you can follow through on what you’ve promised in your messages, you should find that over time, those customers don’t just come back to give your company another try but they can actually become some of your best long-term customers.

So, don’t worry too much about those negative reviews – you can turn that frown upside down with the right approach!

At Key Business Marketing, we offer a range of services, including content creation, SEO, PPC and social media management. Get in touch with us today to discuss your marketing needs and unlock your business' potential.