Corporate Online review companies are crushing small business
In the last three years, we’ve seen more review sites online. Commercials every 30 minutes convince consumers that entire industries of small business have now been blended down to reviews and customer ratings. The local business competes now with Corporate America and the big business machine and their seemingly infinite marketing dollar. These media spots crush the smaller businesses as it reaches their customer base in a way they never could, business owners are now competing not just against other businesses in their city; but now with Angie’s list, Glassdoor and others. Marketing is much different than it was 10 years ago as well. Marketing standards have changed entirely. Small business owners are compelled to consider online reviews to be a path to success and is as important as the product that they provide. Reviews are the future. Small business owners have no choice but to adapt and compete.
Large companies are changing marketing for the little guy
We look at the reviewers on these corporate sites who unknowingly empower large corporations to make determinations on how small business functions and markets in the United States. In an earlier blog, we spoke about it being a tax, I’ll go a little further and say it is the destruction of the personality of small business in America. The stripping of the personality and the personalities behind a business. I remember the days when small businesses had a character in their marketing approach and focused on expanding their own niche. Those were the days of great commercials, word of mouth and lots of personality!
Your small business needs to adapt to new ways to market
The truth is small business has to adapt, these large corporations are not going anywhere. The fact is that reviews and review sites are the future because of their adoption by consumers. With the crowd review, every business in America is now subject to reviews, it’s even more important to ensure that you’re protected as a small business owner. So who will be the Vanguard and the protector of small businesses? How do we get those businesses to stand out, not to just be blended categorically into small business soup? What does it take to ensure that these large companies are held accountable for those bad reviews? Is there a way to change it so the public sees the effort of the business? Granted sometimes poor reviews are justified but more often than not, they should STILL be solved. Where are the resolutions? I love the idea that the customer has choices and can go with recommendations from others and are matched with the best service. It’s a great concept; except who is looking out for the little guy? Small businesses that may have received one bad review out of their five reviews? Does that mean the next guy after him with that one extra star gets the job before he does? Who helps that small business and how does he compete in the corporate review world?
Look beyond just marketing and focus on online reviews
Rating Bee has come up with a solution that allows us to be able to resolve these bad reviews. The best way for small businesses to display their personality and their resolve is to respond by using a review engine that allows them to publicly and decisively solve the clients’ issues. Get that one-star bad review removed. Don’t let it sit, don’t just apologize, do more, resolve it. Do what’s needed to ensure that the client updates that review and gives you the chance to remove that negative review. Stagnant, bad reviews from four years ago can crush your overall score. Don’t be homogenized, and don’t settle for negative reviews. Get to Rating Bee and get those reviews solved now.