Embracing Yelp

For business owners, Yelp can feel both great and harsh. But pretending that Yelp does not exist is not a winning option. Here's an article on yelp ratings, which are literally on the door of every business.

Here are the basics of what I recommend:

• Claim your business: Take control of many aspects of the Yelp entry for your business by clicking on the "Is this your business?" link.
• Show off good reviews: Print out some of the best Yelp reviews for your business, frame them, and hang them up for all to see.
• Reply: Reply to many Yelp reviews, both negative and positive. Your job is to appear reasonable and friendly. Both private and public replies to reviewers can go a long way in benefiting customer relations.
• Don't fret: Try to not get upset about negative reviews. The alternative can drive you nuts. It's impossible to make everybody happy.
• Encourage: Encourage your supporters to give you positive reviews. It's okay to ask your customers for what you would like.

Do all you can to highlight the positive reviews that you get. For example here is a rating of my photography business from Quinn of Berkeley, CA