How To Deal With Negative Comments About You On Twitter

When your non-profit or small business starts searching for conversations about your organization on Twitter, you may be alarmed to find folks who are unhappy with your organization.Photo by Yuri Arcurs

As with most negative feedback, our natural reaction is to launch a defense.

And because Twitter is an open network (you can @reply to anyone, even if they don’t follow you), and posts are only 140 characters, responding quickly to unhappy folks is very easy.

But don’t pull the trigger – yet.

Unlike many aspects of business, which demand “speed to succeed”, ASAP on Twitter may not get you the best result.

Here’s why:

  • If someone already has a negative impression of your organization, your response might be seen in that negative light.  You are not following them, they don’t know you either, and suddenly you appear from nowhere in a defensive posture. Your @reply might even come across like you’re spying. Creepy!
  • They’ll want to be heard first. An abrupt response to their complaint could be taken that you care about your organization’s image more than their experience.
  • Any hasty @reply to this person will be seen by all of your followers. If you rush in foolishly and get told to pound sand, everyone will see this. Responding with wisdom and consideration will also be seen by your followers. You choose.

How to deal with negative tweets

  1. Drop the tude. If you’re thinking to yourself, “This friggin’ bozo doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about!”, stop and reflect. Treat this person with appreciation – they’re giving you an opportunity to demonstrator how great you really are.
  2. Follow first, then decide on the best response. Unless it’s a situation that demands immediate attention, spend time thinking about a memorable and remarkable way to respond.
  3. Take time to read their Twitter stream and blog in order to get a full sense of them as a person. With this context, your response will be based on wisdom, rather than assumptions. Whether they do business with you or not, they deserve the utmost respect and dignity.
  4. Follow their friends who are part of the conversation. The friends who are happy with your organization might become your “champions” in future conversations.
  5. Whatever eventual response you take, please follow it with a sincere thanks. Maybe even offer something valuable (for free) as a way to express that thanks. The cost of that free item is an investment to improve customer loyalty and word of mouth.

How have you converted foes into fans?

If you found this post useful, please leave a comment, subscribe, or find out how I can help your non-profit. Thanks.

Posted March 10, 2009
  • thanks a lot for that amazing post! I like you blogs! discus is very useful
  • You're welcome, whoever you are... ;-)
  • husnain
    "They have great topics like this one on www.energytalkradio.com and donate 30% to charity! Check them out."

  • True leadership is demonstrated through responsibility, as in "the ability to respond". Thanks, John, for encouraging folks to slow down and use their innate wisdom and humanity in responding to negative feedback. Slander is a rare (hopefully!) but exquisite opportunity for self-improvement, which can only be achieved alone, in self-reflection, and not with public posturing.
  • We get asked this a lot. Here are some tips, folks! - How To Deal With Negative Comments About You On Twitter: http://bit.ly/O1fib
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  • How to deal with negative comments on twitter: http://tinyurl.com/cug2xm
  • The way we treat people on Twitter and how we treat people in person should be the same. Respect, patience, consideration, love ... (not easy by any stretch and potentially easier not to have these qualities on the web)

    I'm not sure i agree with following the person you are @'ing or following the people in the conversation. I’m not one who can handle following to many people - especially if they are not people that add value to what I’m interested in. not be to selfish, but we're not all interested in the same things.

    Sometimes it may be best to just let it be, if you have nothing useful, helpful, and/or valuable to say :)

    http://twitter.com/franswaa

    <abbr>frank’s last blog post..franswaa: So ... you really shouldn't be using social media, right? @chrisbrogan speaks on it. re: http://ff.im/1sLur</abbr>
  • How To Deal With Negative Comments About You On Twitter http://tinyurl.com/cug2xm
  • I personally loved it when AT&T reached out to me with a simple "Can I help?"

    They gave me an opportunity to communicate my problem to somebody who had the authority to help me solve it. A problem I had been working on for about a month was instantly solved in an afternoon because Twitter put me in contact with the right person, at the right time (before they lost me as a customer).
  • Reading: How To Deal With Negative Comments About You On Twitter http://is.gd/mKar
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  • Dea
    I find that while I am self employed and my business has not been targeted as its very small, there are situations where people are catty or mean spirited, its best to rise above.

    I am in the holistic, health food, health world and got involved with a few women who were very cliquish and frankly immature, occasionally they picked on me. Without much fanfare, I stopped following them and they have moved on and hopefully aren't picking on anyone else.

    Your advice is very smart and timely thank you.
    Dea :)
  • Nice post! This is one reason why it's critical to track whenever your company/name/ID/brand/etc shows up online - Google alerts is useful for that.

    Additionally, you could write a more in-depth-than-140 characters page, and direct folks to that as well. Anything that fosters communication...it's a good thing.
  • So, why do you Twitter?
  • I've found that often it's the other person who is hasty in their tweets, and when you respond with courteous and friendly attitude, they often get a little embarrassed and apologize. Of course, I have never been the bone-head who tweeted rashly, only to be responded to by a company rep on Twitter. :)
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