Monitoring blogs for your company information helps you stay on top of what others say about your business. But what if they say something bad about your product or service? The Dallas Morning News reported on how a local chocolatier ran into this problem, and really, the company doesn’t need a blog. Thanks to ten-part series (yes, ten!) DallasFood blog and other blogs spreading the news that the company’s pricey chocolates aren’t worth the price.

According to the article, Noka believes it has only lost one customer as a result of the blog. Of course, the company can’t tell if a past customer won’t order from them again. Then again, the customer has experience with Noka’s products and can decide for himself without any blog’s help.

How should a small business deal with this? Stay mum and just let it blow over? In an e-mail interview, Debbie Weil, author of The Corporate Blogging Book, says, “Negative buzz is very painful for any company. But Noka should look on the bright side - they’re getting a ton of attention, not to mention free press! Also, don’t discount the fact that readers are smart and make up their own mind. A ten-part negative series from an anonymous blogger may not be credible in many people’s eyes.”

She makes a good point. Why would anyone write a ten-part series about one company? Extreme. Negative reviews happen all the time and restaurants, authors, businesses can’t do anything about it except hope the publicity pays off and that their customers judge for themselves. Thanks to the publicity, now I know of Noka. I don’t plan to spend $20 on a treat, but I’m sure a few curious people will check out the candy to see what it is all about.

The writer’s anonymity doesn’t bother me as reviewers feel pressured to soften a review. Being anonymous lets the reviewer be as honest as possible. But blog readers are good at determining a source’s credibility.

Discuss.

[tags]blogging,business,Meryl K. Evans, Noka, anonymous blog[/tags]