A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is. It’s what consumers tell each other it is.

Marketing and PR was a lot less complicated a few decades ago.  Now we have online communities testing products and posting reviews for anything and everything you could think of.  It is so incredibly important for brands to be present and participate in these discussions regarding their products and services.

My advice: More feedback means you can make a more valuable product. So listen! Seeing instant feedback from users is so beneficial and allows you to make edits and improve the user experience. Not agreeing with a suggestion or review is obviously inevitable, but you can use those situations as opportunities to discuss your brand’s core philosophy or mission and how maybe that particular suggestion just can’t/won’t work.

The bottom line is that people are going to talk about products they like and dislike (they really like talking about products they dislike!).  By being in the room and listening to suggestions and critiques you can make improvements on your product and use the opportunity to define your brand’s voice by how you respond and interact.