Facebook Review Dilemma

[green_photog]

<p>I have a facebook page review question. My ratings have been between 4 and 5 and the comments are positive.</p>

<p>Three years ago, I did my first female same sex wedding and the couple wrote me after the wedding about the pictures and me - "the pictures are amazing and so are you."</p>

<p>Last night, 3 years after their wedding, they gave me a 1 star rating and a review that said:<br /> - I was not comfortable taking their pictures<br /> - I asked what kind of photos they wanted<br /> - I didn't not blog their wedding</p>

<p>I haven't responded to their comments but my rebuttal after looking at their set again was that I don't remember not being comfortable on that day. It was a short booking and we needed to get a lot done including travel so I might not be the most relax was all.</p>

<p>They brought me to a place with a sign at the door so I asked if they wanted to include the sign in the pictures.</p>

<p>2011 was a very busy year and I have close to 40 weddings and I didn't blog them all. And blogging weddings or not is not in the contract I sign with clients.</p>

<p>What I didn't get was why after holding their peace for 3 years after tell me I was amazing and suddenly the 1 star review that is sitting on top of the panel now.</p>

<p>The bigger question is that I think the FB page review isn't worth it's salt. I have enough references and comments on my FB page that I don't think the review is doing anything. I don't think anyone books me because of my review rating.</p>

<p>So the big question I wanted to ask you guys is that should I take down the review app? Thanks.</p>

<p> </p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>Thats what reviews are all about. Good, bad or indifferent. If you can't handle a bad review whether you think its true or not then take it down. IF on the other hand they are lying then you need to contact them.</p>

[green_photog]

<p>Michael, I think I will just take it down. If this reveiw is buried on page 10, it's no big deal. But it's sitting on top and likely will sit on top until next May or so. All my prospective clients will see it now as I'm entering the prime booking season.</p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>I feel your pain. If it were me I would give them a call and check in with them and question them about that review. Who knows they may change it. People do like reviews. Some like to read the dirt and others like to read the praises. LOL</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Rather than deleting the late review, I'd be intensely curious to discover what had changed over the past few years. How had that person's initial enthusiasm - or, at least, satisfaction - fade to dissatisfaction? Was it comparison with a friend's wedding photos? A change in taste or style that doesn't match the customer's current preferences?</p>

<p>It may be that something else has changed in their lives and it has nothing to do with your photos. Perhaps your photos simply serve as an impetus or reminder of something else in their lives.</p>

[peter_cohen]

<p>I would think about why people call you and book you. Do you ask? I'm going to presume that you do, so I suggest you think about how many bookings you have because people said "I read your reviews on Facebook" or "I found your page on Facebook." How many of your 40 came through Facebook? If you can get to that answer, then you've solved your issue one way or the other.</p>

[green_photog]

<blockquote>

<p>How many of your 40 came through Facebook?</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Good question, I've never booked any client through FB. One time I spend less than a thousand on FB advertising for a few months and didn't get on inquiry. Google search and referral are my main marketing tools. I think I've now answered my own question about the review function, thank you.</p>

[katrin_d.]

<p>I'd inquire what changed.</p>

<p>When it comes to blogging, you can't blog some and not others because that tells the "non blogged" couples that their wedding wasn't good enough to make it onto your blog. Now that may or not be the case but that's how they'll see it and feel about it. Just something to consider, regardless how busy you are. </p>

[Marcus Ian]

<blockquote>

<p>Rather than deleting the late review, I'd be intensely curious to discover what had changed over the past few years.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Me too. I think I'd ask them about it before you take down the review app. While you may not book anybody directly over your FB, I think it's likely that couples who do due diligence probably look over reviews, and, once they've decided to book you (if they do), the F&F who ask about their photog probably get directed there or to your website.<br /> <br /> I'd be curious if anybody has changed their mind due to the review? </p>

<p>But regardless, I'd send them an email and ask them directly about their update (especially since, in practical terms, NOTHING has changed since the original review), and why they feel you've suddenly done a worse job...</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"I've never booked any client through FB. One time I spend less than a thousand on FB advertising for a few months and didn't get on inquiry. "</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I don't of any professional who has paid for Facebook's special promotions or advertising who felt they received good value. I know of writers, photographers, musicians, etc., who've tried FB's paid promotional schemes and none reported good results for the money. However I do know of many creative professionals who consider FB essential to their overall marketing strategy. But they find that the organic method and word of mouth/sharing works, while obvious marketing ploys fail on FB.</p>

<p>And be sure to encourage sharing of your posts if you want word of mouth. Otherwise folks who follow you on FB may hesitate to share, which can hinder the word of mouth process.</p>

<p>However, FB occasionally tweaks its algorithms and occasionally merely "liking" or commenting on a post will make it appear on the news feed of everyone else in the liker's/commenter's contact list. So it isn't always necessary to share to enjoy some word of mouth type exposure. And the effectiveness seems to depend on the browser or mobile device. Sometimes I see everything my friends and family like or comment on, other days I don't.</p>

<p>Another recommendation is to "like" your own FB posts. Seems weird but it does tend to bump the visibility. Several of my contacts who are creative professionals do this and it has influenced their visibility. But FB may change this at whim.</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p>"I suggest you think about how many bookings you have because people said "I read your reviews on Facebook" or "I found your page on Facebook." How many of your 40 came through Facebook?<strong> If you can get to that answer, </strong><em><strong>then you've solved your issue one way or the other</strong></em><strong>.</strong>"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I disagree.<br /> The answer to the question <em>"How many of your 40 came through Facebook?"</em> does <strong><em>not</em></strong> solve the issue.<br /> In fact, basing a business choice predicated on ONLY the answer to that one question, might skew that business choice. <br /> Because, at the least, one also needs to seek to quantify how many people did NOT make the next step of contacting "Green Photog" <strong><em>because</em></strong> they had first read the Facebook page.</p>

<p>***</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>I think I will just take it down.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>On the face of what you have disclosed, I think that is a good business choice. Done and dusted.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>"I would think about why people call you and book you. Do you ask? I'm going to presume that you do, so I suggest you think about how many bookings you have because people said "I read your reviews on Facebook" or "I found your page on Facebook." How many of your 40 came through Facebook? If you can get to that answer, then you've solved your issue one way or the other."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>There is a flaw in the logic behind this suggestion. It doesn't account for how many might be turned off by the Facebook page who might have booked otherwise. Now that a supposedly false negative review appears prominently, that factor is now even more important which makes the number of successful bookings an unreliable indicator for the "issue". <br /><br />If a review page (of any kind) yields business despite negative postings, then the factor becomes less consequential since there is still a net gain in business compared to no page at all. Another factor, relative to this, is whether a review page is seen by prospective clients rather than just past clients making posts. No traffic means no value.<br /><br /><br /></p>

[john_h.1]

<blockquote>

<p>I disagree. The answer to the question <em>"How many of your 40 came through Facebook?"</em> does <strong><em>not</em></strong> solve the issue. In fact, basing a business choice predicated on ONLY the answer to that one question, might skew that business choice. Because, at the least, one also needs to seek to quantify how many people did NOT make the next step of contacting "Green Photog" <strong><em>because</em></strong> they had first read the Facebook page.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I didn't see that William posted this until after my posting on the same topic. I think it illustrates the point well.</p>