Whether you are a photographer, an illustrator,
or other creative mind that searches for clients interested in your work, user reactions and reviews are very important for you. These responses however can't always be positive. And if they really aren't, you just need to stay calm and know exactly how to deal with them.
How to Use Positive Reactions
Responses from other customers to your services are extremely important not only for you, but also for potential future customers that want to know what to expect from your work. If those reactions are positive, you have no worries. You however can't go wrong if you engage in a dialogue with your happy customer.
If such a customer sends you a complimentary email,
don't forget to thank them in return and ask them
if they would be willing to write something about your
work on their social profiles, or if you could quote them
as a reference on your website (however we strongly discourage you from offering any sort of additional services for this "commercial"). This way the positive reactions to your project will be more visible for other potential customers.
Keep a Cool Head
There can also appear some negative reactions.
And whether it is a constructive criticism or a pure provocation, you always need to take a deep breath,
resolve it peacefully and most importantly take nothing personally. Aggressive conversations never solve anything. In the end, you will just decrease to the same level as the person that tries to provoke you.
On the other hand, if you try to communicate even with the most absurd users and at least symbolically accept some of their arguments (it is better if the customer is right, even if he isn't), that person often suddenly calms down and is now much more open to a constructive dialogue.
Other thing is if you receive a constructive criticism
when somebody really points out something you didn't notice (sitting in front of your work for several hours often causes a partial blindnesses). Then you can't do anything else than acknowledge your mistake and fix it. And, most importantly, do it publicly.
Don't try to sweep anything under the carpet, but don't exaggerate things either. Thank this person, but you may also add that you don't share their opinion. Just skip all the "it was my intention" defence, because that often sounds
just like an unwillingness to hear to other opinions.
In short, just remember that you should keep a cool head
at any situation and be thankful even for something you don't like, but it is constructive. And if somebody downright wants to get in your hair, deal with them professionally. It will surely be a positive signal for your customers.
