Just Google the name of a favorite business and the words "hate" or "sucks" and your search will reveal the dark underbelly of online feedback.

Businesses want to make customers happy and we all know that you can't please everyone. But what happens when you not only fail to satisfy a customer but you end up creating a monster – someone who adopts it as their mission in life to destroy your reputation?

In the MarkeingProfs article "I Love How I Hate You" , the MarketingProfs blogger summarizes a book called When Customer Love Turns into Lasting Hate: The Effects of Relationship Strength and Time on Customer Revenge and Avoidance by Yany Grégoire, Thomas M. Tripp and Renaud Legoux.

While businesses can face negative criticism online, the "what to do about it" is not always adequately answered. We believe in freedom of speech (as long as it isn't libelous) but we also want to manage our company brands. I've seen businesses go to great lengths to protect their identities online. The blog correctly highlights an important factor not considered when you're faced with negative criticism. They don't necessarily deal with the "how to do it" factor, but rather "how to know when to address it." In other words, this blog gives you the question you need to ask yourself to know whether or not you should fix the situation.

The blogger points out that negative criticism from a great customer who is fully engaged should be addressed immediately. And if it isn't, the consequences could be disastrous for your online reputation because unhappy customers adopt a desire for revenge that the internet helps them to vent.

The blogger also points out, though, that negative criticism from a marginal customer isn't worth doing anything about. They will always be marginal customers and the money you invest in them won't be earned back by them.

So, what options can you take when bad feedback appears online? The MarketingProfs blog doesn't address anything specific but I'd recommend two courses of action:

First, decide how serious it is and perhaps address it. If it is libelous then you may want to consider legal action. If it is truthful (or fuzzy at best) then you may want to tell your side of the story. This isn't always advisable since you're opening yourself up to further attacks, but you may want to consider it.

Second, ramp up your marketing. The best defense is a good offense and more marketing – particularly online marketing that might bump the negative feedback from a first page search result – is the best step to take. You'll be generating a positive body of work while mitigating the impact of the negative feedback.

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What are one of the key things that EVERY business and solopreneur needs? 

Exposure.  

We’re all after it, right?

Whether you’re a real estate agent, a VA, a musician, a designer, a salesperson, etc., you need exposure.  If no one can find you, or you’re so far buried under your competition’s exposure, how can your talent be utilized?  You have to put yourself in front of them, and the Internet has paved endless roads to the success of your exposure.

We recently talked about Word of Mouth Advertising and a few ways you can guide your WOM campaign but it’s a must that you utilize the Internet’s many avenues.  There are many tried-and-true, oldies-but-goodies, Internet marketing tactics and Web 2.0 has opened up many new interstates for your travel to Destination Exposure.  

As social media marketing has developed, there have been many skeptics but a lot of those skeptics have been jumping on the train in recent months.  And there are many businesses who are still becoming familiar with Internet marketing and social media marketing; and, many others who still don’t even know it exists much less realize the impact it can have on their business – no matter what they’re business is.

We’re in a day and age where people turn to the Internet more and more, rather than traditional phone books.  I’m not even sure why they still deliver me one.  I can’t tell you the last time I used an actual, paper, phone book.  First, I have to flip through it.  Second, the listings don’t tell me much about a business except for their phone number and address.  Third, I can’t see what others are saying about the business.  I know, some of it might seem lazy but the Internet is much faster and I can gather so much more information on the business/service I’m seeking. 

You know the saying, "Google it"…and that’s exactly what people are doing.  If I can’t find you on the Internet, I’ll end up using another business/service that I can find on the Internet. 

And there are many social avenues that peak my interest in something I wasn’t even thinking about.  I frequently veer off of whatever I was originally doing online because something catches my eye.  It might be a service, some goods, information or something else but because it was exposed online, it attracted my interest and I followed the link to see where it led.  if it didn’t have any exposure I may have never found it, whether I was looking for it or not. 

There are two main components to online exposure.

1) Build links to your site, which will increase your rankings in the search engines, and

2) Drive organic traffic

Tying in these components will expose you!

And what’s fabulous is that most of it, if not all of it, can technically be done for free.  It takes a lot of time so you can always pay someone to do it for you, or you can do it yourself without spending much money at all.  All it takes is the knowledge of what to do, how to do it, where to do it and a bit of dedication.

Visit Online Marketing Wizards and have a look around.  OMW discusses online marketing tips, information, resources and strategies.  You’ll find information on finding the proper keywords, utilizing your anchor text, submitting your site to directories, using social networking and social media to gain exposure and links, utilizing articles and much more.

What are your thoughts on businesses benefiting from online marketing? 

Karen J. for BestBusinessExpert.com