Negative feedback is no fun, but it’s something you’re going to have to deal with both professionally and personally, says, William D King. Whether or not your business or you as an individual are in the public eye, people will always find a reason to be unhappy about something that went wrong. (Or right.) But how do you respond effectively when the backlash hits? How can you make sure that your response isn’t misconstrued like Donald Trump’s recent tweets on professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem?
The following tips will allow you to learn from his mistakes and better prepare yourself for dealing with any negativity online.
1) Keep an Eye on Your Brand Reputation –
By now you’re probably familiar with the concept of brand association. It’s been around for decades and hasn’t lost a step in recent years. More than ever, companies are concerned about how their brands are perceived online and it has a huge influence on business success. The same goes for your personal life as well. People want to have a sense of trust when associating with you so they know you’re going to give them reliable information or offer up good advice based on experience.
While the concept is simple it can be tricky to execute because negative feedback can shake that foundation very easily if it isn’t handled correctly from the very beginning.
2) Don’t Ignore –
We’ve all been guilty of scrolling past posts from people we don’t care about and continuing with our day, but you should never ignore negative feedback on your social media accounts. It’s very unlikely that they’re going to get the hint and go away if you don’t respond. If anything it will backfire because they’ll become even more vocal in their criticism and try to attract attention from others who might be interested in hearing them out.
However, you also don’t want to over-react either because the wrong response could create a bigger problem than what you started with.
3) Don’t Argue –
Once again we see Donald Trump making this mistake and getting into an argument online just like he does on television or during any other press opportunity. Whether you agree with him not, he’s known for being very vocal in his opinions, but when it comes to feedback about your business or personal brand you should be much more reserved explains William D King.
It’s important that even when people are being totally unfair with their accusations that you don’t let them get under your skin enough to where you want to fight back. Arguing is always counterproductive because it proves the other party right and only creates unnecessary drama. It also opens the door for others who might not have noticed what was said to become aware of it. And join in on the argument without knowing all of the details which could make things even worse.
Instead, focus on dealing with each problem individually while attempting to tactfully diffuse any arguments before they start, or take a step back completely if something is getting too heated.
4) Don’t Make Excuses –
It’s always easy to justify why you did something in your mind, but when it comes to negative feedback. The best approach is to admit that you made a mistake and offer an apology in some form if necessary. The worst thing you can do is try to downplay what happened or make excuses for yourself. Because nobody wants to hear about how you had a bad day or the dog ate your homework. So don’t even go there.
The truth will always come out eventually, so once again it’s better to just deal with the problem head-on. Instead of trying to cover things up explains William D King. If they still don’t believe your explanation then they probably weren’t really your audience anyway. And now you have an opportunity to focus your efforts on someone else. Who will appreciate what you have to say.
5) Don’t Give Up –
Even if you get a lot of negative feedback online it doesn’t necessarily mean. That you’re going to fail at whatever it is that you were trying to accomplish. So never give up right away because things could turn around. Just as quickly as they turned sour in the first place! Keep building your brand and improving yourself while helping others whenever possible. And eventually, people will start taking notice again, which can make all of the difference. When it comes time for them to review their options.
Conclusion:
Negative feedback is never easy to deal with. But if you want people to take you seriously. It’s inevitable that you’ll encounter some form of criticism along the way says, William D King. Understanding how to handle it in a positive manner will ensure that you aren’t derail or discourage. By what other people have to say about your efforts, so keep these tips in mind.