Managing Negative Reviews

Transform Your School's Worst Google Review Into Your Best Marketing Asset Most schools panic when they get a bad review. Delete it. Bury it. Pretend it doesn't exist. I recommend that they celebrate it. After 28 years in education and now helping schools with their marketing, I've discovered that your response to criticism reveals more about your school than any brochure ever could. In the past, I spoke to a school that was in crisis mode. A parent posted a scathing review about their experience with the admissions process. Two stars. Brutal details. The head wanted it gone. I told them to frame it. (That might be a slight exaggeration, however...) Here's what we did instead: The head of school personally responded. Not with corporate speak. Not with excuses. With this: "Thank you for this honest feedback. You're right - our admissions process failed your family, and that's on us. Here's what we're changing because of your experience..." Then they listed specific improvements. With dates. With accountability. What happened next? → The parent updated their review → A few prospective families mentioned that response during tours Why? Because parents aren't looking for perfect schools. They're looking for schools that actually listen. The uncomfortable truth: Your competitor hiding behind perfect 5-star reviews looks fake. Your honest response to real criticism looks human. Here's the formula: 1. Thank them (genuinely) 2. Own the specific issue (no deflection) 3. Share concrete changes (with timeline) 4. Invite continued dialogue (and mean it) That school down the street with suspicious perfect reviews? Parents see through it. Your authentic response to authentic criticism? That's what builds trust. Bad reviews aren't reputation killers. Bad responses are. What's the worst review your school ever received? How did you handle it? #SchoolMarketing #ReputationManagement #CustomerService #DigitalMarketing #Authenticity

Here's something I’ve learned building Obvi: Your loudest critics might actually be your most valuable customers. When a detractor is passionate enough to tell you what's wrong with your product, that's incredibly powerful. But only if you’re willing to listen. It’s because the silent ones who dislike your product simply leave and never say a word - those are the ones you should really fear. You can't fix what you don't know about. But some of our most vocal critics have become our biggest advocates. Not because we fought them or convinced them they were wrong, but because we actually took that feedback and solved their problems. The truth is If someone cares enough to complain, they actually want your product to work for them. They're invested enough to care. But the key is shifting your mindset from defense to opportunity. Because the kneejerk reaction is to tell them they’re wrong or dismiss them entirely. Instead, don't hide negative feedback. Don't delete it. Face it head-on and use it to build something better. Those critics might just become your biggest champions.

Sometimes there’s advice on this platform that drives me a touch nuts - it’s like one step forward, two steps back. Most of the time I just try to repress it - I know, super healthy, right? 😳 This time I can’t. The question was: What do you do when a customer tells you they’re going with another solution because they read negative reviews on yours? The answer provided? “Okay, and how many negative reviews did you see? Were those actually clients of ours or just like somebody negative on the internet who never (used us)?” He added that the point is to make them question their own research. 😩 Nooooooo…. 😩 1) How do you respond to negative reviews? When you’re doing your homework, and see a negative review, then see that the provider receiving the negative review responded by saying something like, “We’re sorry that happened. Here’s how we’d like to make it up to you. Here’s what we’re doing to make sure that doesn’t happen again.” - how does that make you feel about the provider? Good, right? Own the negative reviews. 2) Why is the customer researching and allowing the negative reviews to impact their decision AT THE END of the sales cycle? Because they don’t trust what they’ve heard from you. Own those negative reviews UP FRONT. You’re not perfect. You’re not all things to all people. Share the pros AND THE CONS up-front. Own when things haven’t gone perfectly. Earn the right to share which reviews are unfounded. When they do their own homework and see that it matches, it BUILDS trust. You’ll win faster, but lose faster, too! And you’ll differentiate in the way that you sell. #transparencywins