How do you manage negative feedback on your brand story?

Your brand story is the core of your identity, values, and purpose. It's what makes you unique and memorable. But not everyone will love your brand story. Sometimes, you might face negative feedback from customers, competitors, or critics. How do you handle it without losing your confidence and authenticity? Here are some tips to help you manage negative feedback on your brand story.

1 Listen and learn

The first step to managing negative feedback is to listen and learn. Don't ignore, delete, or argue with the comments. Instead, try to understand where they are coming from and what they are trying to tell you. Maybe they have a valid point, a different perspective, or a genuine concern. Maybe they are misinformed, confused, or frustrated. Maybe they are just trolling, venting, or hating. Whatever the case, listening and learning can help you identify the root cause of the feedback and respond accordingly.

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JoAnne Anderson

Director, Content Marketing at Albertsons Companies
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Listening and learning is critical. We monitor comments through a variety of methods that include a social listening tool, customer service and our own community management team. This enables us to keep our ears out for the conversations being had about our retail brands. This also gives us the opportunity to jump on new food trends and we're working to be more nimble in joining in on the conversation with our customers to be most relevant to what is going on with them, in the moment.

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2 Respond with empathy

The second step to managing negative feedback is to respond with empathy. Empathy means putting yourself in the other person's shoes and acknowledging their feelings and needs. It doesn't mean agreeing with them or giving up your brand story. It means showing respect, compassion, and gratitude for their feedback. By responding with empathy, you can build trust, rapport, and loyalty with your audience. You can also diffuse tension, prevent escalation, and avoid damage to your reputation.

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Yash Panchal ⭐

Creative Operations, Brand Management and Social Media Communications
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We can only respond with empathy if we have been practicing it in our daily lives. This is how you can : 1. Get rid of your preconceived notions and assumptions. 2. Be curious about the feedback and reach out to that person 3. Ask the right questions 4. Understand their perspective 5. And once you are devoid of ego and have understood their feedback, you can respond with empathy.

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3 Align and clarify

The third step to managing negative feedback is to align and clarify. Align means finding common ground and shared values with your feedback giver. Clarify means explaining your brand story and its benefits in a clear and compelling way. By aligning and clarifying, you can reinforce your brand message, address any misunderstandings or objections, and highlight your unique value proposition. You can also demonstrate your expertise, credibility, and passion for your brand.

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4 Improve and innovate

The fourth step to managing negative feedback is to improve and innovate. Improve means taking action to fix any issues or gaps in your brand story or delivery. Innovate means finding new ways to enhance your brand story or experience. By improving and innovating, you can show your commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and continuous learning. You can also leverage the feedback as an opportunity to grow, differentiate, and stand out from the crowd.

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5 Celebrate and share

The fifth step to managing negative feedback is to celebrate and share. Celebrate means acknowledging your achievements, progress, and positive feedback. Share means spreading the word about your brand story and its impact. By celebrating and sharing, you can boost your morale, confidence, and motivation. You can also attract more attention, engagement, and advocacy for your brand.

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6 Review and refine

The sixth step to managing negative feedback is to review and refine. Review means evaluating your performance, results, and feedback. Refine means making adjustments, updates, or changes to your brand story or strategy. By reviewing and refining, you can ensure your brand story is relevant, consistent, and effective. You can also keep your brand story fresh, dynamic, and evolving.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you manage negative feedback on your brand story?

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2

3

4

5

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1 Listen and learn

2 Respond with empathy

3 Align and clarify

4 Improve and innovate

5 Celebrate and share

6 Review and refine

7 Here’s what else to consider

Brand Development

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How do you manage negative feedback on your brand story?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Listen and learn

2 Respond with empathy

3 Align and clarify

4 Improve and innovate

5 Celebrate and share

6 Review and refine

7 Here’s what else to consider

Brand Development

Rate this article

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