If you're like me and try your best to keep a clean slate when it comes to online reviews then there is nothing more annoying than getting fake reviews, be they from malicious competitors or even by people who have nothing better to do.
You know the type of review, especially on Google My Business.
No explanation given and a name you've never heard of before.
Well, there is a way you can turn it round to your advantage and come out unscathed and looking even better.
There is a template I've been using to great effect and some of you might have already seen it but for those of you who haven't, it works a treat and because most of the review platforms are not discussion platforms, you have the advantage of last say on the matter so make the most of it.
Here's the template:
“Hi, *insert reviewer’s name,*
We take these matters very seriously, unfortunately , we have no record or recollection of any customer experience fitting this account, nor can we verify anything about your identity from your name in our records. If you were a client of ours , we would like to investigate this issue further, please contact *person’s name* immediately at *company email address* so that we can resolve this issue immediately.”
As you can see, it closes the fake review nicely and turns it around to your advantage. I've used it several times and it has done nothing but increase the credibility of my clients.
There will of course be times when you're angry about the review landing on your listing but if you can't respond in a measured and calm way, it's probably best that you avoid responding at all.
Of course there are reviews from legitimate clients who may have had a bad experience but it's never too late to work it in your favour by offering them a way of correcting the problem they encountered so that they'll be persuaded to change their negative review that could ultimately work in your favour.
You're never going to get a perfect review and besides, it just wouldn't look natural to the public and having a few negative ones actually makes your good reviews more believable.
Keep at it and never give up with your reviews because they really are a game changer when you're working in competitive niches like the real estate sector.
Focus on being approachable for any issues your clients might encounter and being able to resolve them when needed.
Happy hunting and don't let negative reviews get you down.
Update - Additional Template
Here is another template you can use depending on your preference:
"Thank you for your comments. We take these matters very seriously, unfortunately, we have no record or recollection of the issues you are describing / nor can we verify anything about your identity from your name in our records. We would however like to investigate this issue further if you would like to raise a formal complaint please send an email "business email" so that we can resolve this issue asap."
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