Remember, your reputation matters. In our previous How To, Developing a Comprehensive Reputation Management Strategy, we established the importance of having a proactive Reputation Management plan. Here we will dive into responding to both positive and negative reviews, ensuring you maximize the good and navigate the challenges ethically and effectively.
First, remember that it is your responsibility to make sure that your actions comply with your state’s Bar Association Advertising Rules and Regulations or the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct. If you are unsure, contact your Bar Association.
Next, determine if you action will be reactive or proactive based on your crisis management plan established:
- Reactive – It is imperative that you stay calm and carefully craft a thoughtful response. Remain professional. Do not lash out online, at the complainer, or take a defensive posture. Never breach client confidentiality.
- Proactive – You counter negative opinions and reviews with positive content – utilizing SEO, sharing positive reviews, social posts, blogs, videos, and press releases to increase the visibility of positive opinions (showing trust and credibility) or to decrease the visibility of negative opinions
Determine Best Way to Respond the Unique Situation
Responding to Positive Reviews
- When your clients take the time to leave a positive review for your firm, it's more than just a compliment – it's an opportunity to build lasting relationships. Don't miss the opportunity to respond in kind and grow your brand. By responding to positive reviews, you're not just building trust; you're humanizing your brand. In a world where connections matter, these personal touches make a significant difference in your practice. After all, people tend to choose businesses they know, like, and trust.
Responding to Negative Reviews
- Do Nothing – Sometimes you just have to let things go because it is the right thing to do. There also may be concerns of attorney-client privilege. Never, ever breach client confidentiality to respond to a negative review. There is no ethical risk in not responding.
- Engage the Nay-Sayers – You should first do your own investigation and reflect as to where there is a kernel of truth and remedy as needed. Consider addressing the comment with a gracious apology or regret for their dissatisfaction, show appreciation for the feedback, and add an invitation to address the matter with the complainant personally. You could sympathize or apologize and invite them to DM you (a direct message in a private conversation) so that you can address the problem. You could show some gratitude for the complainers as they are letting you know what you could be doing better. You could also ask your client to delete the review.
- Use Aggressive Marketing – Use aggressive SEO (search engine optimization). Curate lots of positive content on topics you want communicated (blogs, articles, video, photos, etc.) with the goal of burying bad content and bumping it off of the first page of Google. Do the same with press releases, social media, and public relations. You may also consider purchasing and using additional website domains to push out content.
- Try to Remove Content – More often than not, a review cannot be removed. Consider exploring review sites' policies (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, AVVO, Martindale Hubbell, Yelp); to report violations where applicable and to see if the information can be removed.
- Ensure you are not Dealing with a Troll – A troll is someone who deliberately stirs up controversy or provokes others online by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages with the aim of disrupting discussions or upsetting participants. While frustrating, do not engage a troll publicly, it just adds more fuel to fire. Continue to shift and highlight more positive reviews and content to shift the balance and focus. If necessary, you may need to take legal action.
Managing both positive and negative reviews is essential for safeguarding your reputation in the digital realm. Remember to respond ethically and strategically, whether proactively highlighting positive feedback or calmly addressing negative critiques.
Additional Resources
In case you missed it, you can catch up on Reputation Management for Lawyers: It’s Not Just About Deleting Bad Reviews, How to Ask a Client for a Testimonial, Developing a Comprehensive Reputation Management Strategy, Handling and Responding to Positive and Negative Reviews, Getting Reviews Removed and Working with a Reputation Management Agency.
