Small Business LIFT (Marketing & Strategy)

Dave Sue

How to Effectively Respond to Negative and Fake Reviews

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Managing negative and fake reviews is a challenge that many entrepreneurs face in the online business landscape. These reviews have the power to shape how potential and loyal customers perceive your brand. In this article, we’ll explore some strategies for handling these reviews like a pro, ensuring that your online reputation remains strong.

Responding to Negative Reviews

Start with a Sincere Apology and Gratitude

When you’re dealing with negative reviews, the first step is to offer a genuine apology and express gratitude for the customer’s feedback. This shows that you’re committed to continuous improvement.

Example: “Dear [Customer’s Name], we deeply regret that your recent experience at our establishment fell short of your expectations. We genuinely appreciate your candid review, as it provides us with an opportunity to elevate our service. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have encountered and hope you’ll consider giving us another chance to make things right in the future.”

Maintain a High Level of Professionalism

Professionalism is non-negotiable when responding to negative reviews. Avoid blaming or getting into arguments, as this can further damage your reputation. Regardless of the review’s nature, respond with courtesy and professionalism.

Example: “[Customer’s Name], we want to extend our gratitude for bringing this matter to our attention and for taking the time to provide feedback. We want to assure you that the level of service you experienced does not align with our standards. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and hope to have the opportunity to regain your trust.”

Take the Conversation Offline

For a more thorough response to negative reviews, offer the unhappy reviewer the chance to continue the conversation privately. Providing your business’s customer service phone number shows your commitment to addressing their concerns personally.

Example: “Hello, [Customer’s Name]! We appreciate your review and sincerely apologize for the service you received. We would like to discuss your experience further. Please feel free to reach out to our customer service team at 1-555-123-4567. We eagerly await the opportunity to speak with you and value your feedback.”

Dealing with Fake Google Reviews

Fake Google reviews can be particularly frustrating, as they can tarnish your business’s reputation unfairly. Here’s how to handle them:

Verify Fake Reviews

Before taking action, it’s crucial to determine if a review is genuinely fake. Some signs of fake reviews include:

  • Not being in your CRM or point-of-sale software.
  • Never contacted your customer service team.
  • Vague details, such as not remembering employee names.
  • A sudden influx of negative reviews in a short time.
  • Recommends a competitor.

Reporting Fake Reviews

To report a fake Google review, follow these steps:

  1. Log In: Make sure you’re logged into your Google My Business account.
  2. Find Your Business: Click “View my Profile” or locate your business on Google Search.
  3. Report Review: Click the three vertical dots and select “Report Review.” Choose the most appropriate reason, such as “Off-topic” or “Conflict of interest.”

If Google Doesn’t Remove a Review

Unfortunately, Google doesn’t remove all fake reviews. In such cases, consider the following actions:

  • Respond Professionally: Kindly respond to the review and explain that you believe it’s the wrong business, which can help potential customers understand the context.
  • Use the Contact Form: Try escalating the issue by using the contact form through Google My Business support.

Leverage Positive Reviews

Always remember that one negative review, or even a few, won’t be the downfall of your business. Offset negative reviews by actively seeking positive ones. Encourage satisfied customers to leave Google reviews, as these positive sentiments can overshadow the negative feedback and boost your local SEO.

In conclusion, mastering the art of handling negative and fake reviews is a crucial element of maintaining a positive online reputation. By following these strategies, you can effectively navigate the complexities of online feedback and ensure that your business shines brightly in the digital world. Your online reputation is a precious asset—nurture it to thrive in the ever-evolving online landscape.

How to Register a New Business in Texas

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Wondering if you can register a new business in Texas by yourself? If you want to save yourself some hassle, you can pay a trained financial professional or an online service a few hundred dollars + fees to register your new business for you in Texas. 

Alternatively, you can do it yourself.

If you want to do it yourself, it will cost:

  • Your time (2-3 hours if you have info ready; many more if you don’t) + 
  • $300 paid to the Texas Secretary of State to file your Certificate of Formation +
  • $15 to file for a registered agent +
  • Other optional small fees payable to Texas (e.g., $1 for name search, $30 for certified copy of Certificate of Formation, $40 to reserve name for an LLC before registering, etc.)

Still interested in doing it yourself? Here are a few tactical guidelines we put together for a friend that we decided to share online. You can also access Texas’ official guidelines or the SBA’s official guidelines as well. 

Disclaimer: Please note that this information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or financial advice. Consult a qualified legal or financial professional for advice. We do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on this information. 

10 Steps to Register a New Business in Texas

  • Decide What Business Formation to Use:
    • LLC
      • Type: Single member? Manager-managed? Series LLC?
      • Tax Treatment Options:
        • Get taxed as a sole proprietor?
        • Get taxed as an SCORP? [Note: This NOLO article captures a few of the reasons why we like this option.]
    • S-CORP or 
    • C-CORP [Not recommended]
  • Choose a Business Name:
  • Register Your Business Name:
  • Choose a Registered Agent:
    • Appoint a registered agent in Texas who will receive legal documents on behalf of your LLC. This can be an individual or a registered agent service. They will need to receive all your important business documents.
    • You or a trusted person could be your registered agent. We’ve seen this service advertised for $100-600 per year.
  • Open an Account with Texas SOSDirect:
    • Create an account with the Texas Secretary of State’s Direct Access (SOSDirect) system: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/sosda/index.shtml
    • SOSDirect allows you to manage your LLC’s information, file some required documentation, and access various business services conveniently online.
  • File Certificate of Formation (Form 205 for domestic and Form 304 for foreign):
  • Create an LLC Operating Agreement:
    • This document outlines the way your LLC will conduct business. Texas does not require one and you do not have to file it but you will save yourself a lot of headaches by writing one out. This is also often required by banks so it is important to create.
    • There are many templates (free and paid) online you can use for this
  • Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN):
  • Obtain Necessary Permits and Licenses:
    • Check with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and local government offices to determine if you need any specific licenses or permits to operate your business, including tax permits: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit/
  • Understand Tax and Reporting Requirements:
  • [Extra Tip] Open a Business Bank Account:
    • Set up a separate bank account for your LLC to keep personal and business finances separate.

Stay in Good Standing (A couple of examples of things to remember)

  • File an annual franchise report by May 15 of each year.
  • File your annual state and federal taxes on time (including if you have to pay quarterly estimated taxes)

A Few Other Tactical Topics for Entrepreneurs to Consider:

  1. Prioritize your Life Plan, self-care, key relationship care, and mentoring/learning rhythms
  2. Retirement planning (e.g., Simple IRAs are great)
  3. Healthcare coverage
  4. Emergency fund, business continuity plan, possibly business Insurance
  5. Bookkeeping software and support, and tax planning
  6. Legal support and record-keeping/documentation systems
  7. IT and operations support, and cyber security
  8. Sales and Marketing software and support
  9. Workspace and equipment
  10. Review at least 2-3 other relevant online checklists (e.g., SBA’s 10 Steps to Start Your Business) to cover your bases

Yes, the process is not rocket science but it does take time and effort. If you’d like someone local in Katy or Houston to handle this for you (especially if you are an ex-pat or represent a foreign entity), we highly recommend going with a proven local provider such as Flora at Eftex Business Services. If you’d rather handle it yourself, we hope the above has been helpful — and when you’re ready to think through your digital marketing,  we suggest you read this slightly dated but useful post before making any marketing financial commitments.

Hubspot, ActiveCampaign, or Zoho CRM?

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Which CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool to use to help organize and run your small business? As it depends on a number of factors, we thought we’d share some key distinctions that might help with your decision.

HubspotActiveCampaignZoho CRM
What is it at its coreLeading CRM (40% market share) with a great interface that also has email marketing and other integrations.Email marketing tool with great automation and solid CRM features.Solid CRM (only FB and Gmail integration in the free version) with email marketing and many other integrations.
Why use it?Best CRM integration with Outlook and has a great free starter plan (integrates with Gmail, Microsoft 365, Outlook). Easy-to-use drag-and-drop features and easy-to-follow systems.Provides more advanced automation (e.g., email split testing and list segmentation) for reasonable prices. CRM starts at $39 per month.Cost-scalable CRM, with 3 users for free and capping out at $65 per user per month. Integrates with ZohoSuite, offers sales forecasting, and strong social media integrations.
Why not use it?Price scales quickly. Excellent free plan spikes from $30 per user to $1600 for 5 users per month. Tech support has to be paid for and A/B testing requires higher tiers.CRM isn’t available until the “Plus” plan, but then all basic CRM features are included. Sales automation will require the “Professional” Plan.Lacks in-depth and detailed reporting compared to peers. No task management features (which Hubspot has). Not best tutorials for beginners.
Best fit for who?1- Budget not a big issue OR
2- Only want a CRM, and the free version Hubspot offers is sufficient
3- High-value conversions
4- Tie inbound marketing with your CRM		1- Budget is important
2- Outbound and email marketing is critical
3- You need advanced sales and marketing automation
4- Deep e-commerce insights and AI assistance
1- Budget is important
2- Highly customizable to meet any industry-specific need (e.g., insurance agency needing specific lead fields to track policy types)
3- Strong third-party and Zoho ecosystem integrations
4- Multi-language options

Also, if you’re curious as to what their free plans offer, here is a good article we found on financesonline.com, and if you can do with a lighter CRM, Zoho Bigin is another option to consider.

LIFT Lever: Decide and Focus on Your Customer Segment

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When formulating your marketing strategy, an essential first step is identifying your target audience. While this may appear obvious, it is common to make the mistake of marketing or selling multiple very divergent customer segments simultaneously. For instance, take the approaches required for marketing to the government, businesses, and individual consumers. These are very different approaches indeed.

To illustrate this point, let’s discuss the marketing role of a website. Many individuals perceive websites as uniform entities with the primary goals of aesthetics, fast loading times, and attracting more customers. While this holds true from a broad perspective, it is important to examine the nuances. Different potential customers have distinct expectations and requirements from a website, necessitating a more granular approach.

Here is a simple table illustrating some of the differences in the B2G (Business-to-Government), B2B (Business-to-Business), and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) customer journeys.

 

B2C

B2B

B2G

Find You

Referrals from trusted contacts

Google searches “near me” or on Google Maps

Online searches on relevant topics

Referrals from trusted contacts

Online searches on relevant topics

Your company has responded to an RFP

Referrals from trusted contacts

Governments are not randomly “Googling” for vendors

Trust You

Google reviews, etc.

Case studies

Verification from trusted 3rd parties (including Google reviews for some industries)

Official documentation proving qualifications

Hire You

Review your offer

May compare your offer to others

May interview you

Review your company and track record

Probably interview you

Compare your offer to others

Review your bid versus the other submitted bids

Review if your company fits their desired vendor portfolio (note: interview possible)

Key Role of Website

Be found by new customers (possibly as a secondary source after Google Maps)

Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step

Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step

For some businesses:
Be found by new customers

Not cause the company to get disqualified from the bidding process

Grow Credibility

Key Tool Example

Google Reviews

Email marketing

White papers

B2C

Referrals from trusted contacts

Google searches “near me” or on Google Maps

Online searches on relevant topics

Google reviews, etc.

Review your offer

May compare your offer to others

May interview you

Be found by new customers (possibly as a secondary source after Google Maps)

Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step

B2B

Referrals from trusted contacts

Online searches on relevant topics

Case studies

Verification from trusted 3rd parties (including Google reviews for some industries)

Review your company and track record

Probably interview you

Compare your offer to others

Grow Credibility + Get to Next Step

For some businesses:
Be found by new customers

Email marketing

B2G

Your company has responded to an RFP

Referrals from trusted contacts

Governments are not randomly “Googling” for vendors

Official documentation proving qualifications

Review your bid versus the other submitted bids

Review if your company fits their desired vendor portfolio (note: interview possible)

Not cause the company to get disqualified from the bidding process

Grow Credibility

White papers

The table shared is a simplified model, yet it underscores the pivotal role of pinpointing your main customer base and strategically coordinating your marketing initiatives and resources.

At Small Business LIFT, we encourage business owners to THINK before DOING. If you believe that Small Business LIFT could be beneficial for your company, we invite you to get in touch with us. Our standard Digital Marketing Package (DMP) has shown to be highly effective for clients aiming to increase their visibility amongst new customers. Once the foundational marketing strategy and website are established, our more advanced email marketing and additional options can serve as powerful tools for expansion.

Problem-Solve Using Post-its and Drawings

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What: Value of post-its and sticky notes when problem solving

Key Points:

  • Collaborative visualization exercise helps understand and solve complex problems.
  • Sticky note systems allow for fluid iteration and richer models.
  • Group collaboration produces unified models integrating diverse perspectives.
  • Visualizing difficult problems can lead to remarkable outcomes for organizations.

Summary:

Collaborative visualization has proven to be a powerful tool for understanding and solving complex problems.

A simple exercise involving drawings of how to make toast has unveiled valuable insights into the way we collaborate and make sense of the world around us. The exercise begins with participants drawing how to make toast without using any words.

Interestingly, these drawings can be seen as systems models, with nodes representing tangible objects and links symbolizing the connections between them. By counting the number of nodes, we find that the sweet spot lies between 5-13 – striking a balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness.

Moving from static drawings to sticky notes or cards allows for more clarity and detail in the systems models. This fluidity enables rapid iteration and refinement of ideas, a vital aspect of the design process. Sticky note systems tend to produce more nodes and richer models, making them superior to static drawings.

When the exercise is performed in a group setting, the process may start messily, but it ultimately leads to a unified systems model. Participants actively contribute and build upon each other’s ideas, resulting in a comprehensive model that integrates diverse perspectives. This collaborative effort sets it apart from conventional meetings and individual models. Interestingly, teams are able to collaborate more efficiently when they do it in silence (rather than speaking to advocate for their perspectives).

The significance of collaborative visualization extends beyond making toast. Many organizations are adopting this approach to tackle complex issues, such as their organizational vision, customer experience, or long-term sustainability. Visualizing and refining models through collaboration can lead to remarkable outcomes, as demonstrated by the example of Rodale, a publishing company that reclaimed $50 million of revenue and achieved an A rating from customers after visualizing their entire business.

Collaborative visualization is a simple yet powerful idea that enhances clarity, engagement, and alignment in problem-solving. By making ideas visible, tangible, and consequential, organizations can better tackle difficult problems and achieve exceptional results.

Best Small Business eMail Marketing System to Use (Updated: 2023.07)

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Looking for the best email system for your business? Compare and choose from a collection of top-ranked email marketing systems from sources we reviewed.

Note: For those viewing this on a desktop without a widescreen, if you view this on mobile, you’ll be able to see the rankings of any one source at a time.

Last updated: June 2023