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Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!

  • TommyCarey Level X3
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    Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!

    If you're noticing negative things sprouting up about your business, as soon as you start getting noticed more, it's likely a smear campaign from some competitor you've scared online or offline.  This is a common practice by competitors, no matter the niche, and it's used in order to funnel people to their own website that does similar things you do.

    Smear campaigns are a way of making you look bad, through negative PR and content marketing, but it doesn't have to be something you look at as a bad thing.  Remember the saying "Any news is good news" and that's the same with a smear campaign because you can twist it in a way that entices people to come and purchase from you even though they've just read something that says you're the devil or you have the worst possible product or service in the world Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!

    Do your research and figure out who is posting about you
    Usually, there are some footprints out there that will lead you back to the company or business that is publishing this content.  There are the rare occasions when a business doing the smear campaign will not recommend their own companies, but that's rare because everyone is money hungry and wants to send traffic to the "Better Services" so these footprints likely stand out.

    Find the person or website that is posting about you, then go to the next step in this discussion Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!

    Take screenshots of who is posting and link it back
    You need to be screenshotting everything negative being said about you in a smear campaign because you never know what is going to be edited or deleted.  You could bring a post to light within your own community, then the person running the smear campaign could just edit it to make you look dumb, but if you have screenshots then people will trust you more after they see the edited version.

    Screenshots aren't difficult to do, you just hold CTRL+PRT SCR and it will capture what's on screen.  There are also pieces of software out there that will let you select a specific section of the page, then screenshot it, and save it to your computer if you choose.  You can use these and highlight certain parts of the post to show your readers if you want.

    Offer discounts because of this negative PR
    After you've done all the research and know who is posting about you, and you've also taken all the screenshots possible, you  need to offer some discounts to your visitors in order to entice them to purchase.

    People will see the negative comments or articles about your website, do some research about you and land on your homepage, then they'll see your discount offered to everyone Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!  You can even say something like "We recently found a competitor trying to run a smear campaign against us, because they don't have products and services as good as ours, so we're offering a sitewide discount to show you we truly are the best!"

    If you can do this, you will convert the people who thought you were horrible, and that's extra money in your pocket Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!  You've turned a negative into a positive, and at the end of the day you'll be on top still Did someone run a smear campaign against you? Here are some things you can do to make it better!

    Never talk to the person or company doing the smear campaign
    Think of this like an ugly divorce, you just want your lawyers to talk to them and you stay out of it unless your lawyer brings you in. It doesn't matter if you're on an open forum or blog, you will need to avoid them as much as possible.  If you do this, you will anger them, and that will show everyone you're the bigger man.  If it gets to the point where you need to start posting those screenshots, then start showing the world what they said (and edited) in order to prove them wrong. 

    Don't call them, email them, send out smoke signals, or train carrier pigeons to bring them small letters.  Talk to your visitors and if you really have to then you can talk to the person running the smear campaign or the blogs and forums with negative comments about you.


    In conclusion
    If you're pissing someone off when it comes to business, you're doing something right, because you're essentially taking profits from them that they will fight for.  Normally, a business won't start a smear campaign because it's a childish way to go about things, but they do happen and I hope you're ready for them. 


    Remember to follow me!
    https://www.seocheckout.com/user/TommyCarey


    Thanks!

    Tommy Carey

    #Campaigns Marketing & Monetization
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    jpyy

    jpyy

    I could be wrong, but I'm not sure if bothering with any of this is worth the time. I mean, generally speaking, there will always be haters, assuming you got something good. Anyway, my focus would be on just constantly making my product better and improving relationships with those who don't buy into the negative PR.

    Oh, by the way, haters of a product aren't always wrong, though. Therefore, in that case, the target should try to improve, assuming he isn't really a scammer.
    6 years ago

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    Martinsx1

    Martinsx1

    Well, if the smear campaign that is being carried out about your business is actually true, all you need to do is work towards correcting them in order not to lose your customers. Believe me when I tell you that it's competition that leads to some other companies trying to ruin your business image in the face of your customers in order to grasp them immediately they want to jump ship. So, in order not to lose your customers whom you labored to get their loyalty so easily, it's better to work on your products to offer your customers the best quality and shutup your rivals.
    6 years ago

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    Corzhens

    Corzhens

    You are right to assume that there will always be the haters around us that we do not know the exact reason why they hate us. But my take is envy because a law-abiding and decent person should have no detractors. Whatever your take on the haters who are doing a sort of smear on a person it boils down to the effort that they spend. If you ignore them then that means you are not wasting your time on them.
    5 years ago

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    Martinsx1

    Martinsx1

    I agree with the last point of not talking with the person or company that is running a smear campaign against you. Getting into war of words especially online with them will make matters worse and further drag your reputation and image to the mud. Remember the quote "Silence is the best answer to a fool ''. Use it to deal with the company and work on correcting your image in the face of your clients.
    6 years ago

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    Barida

    Barida

    That's true. I mean showing that you are not distracted by the things that they say is one of the best ways to answer them. They will be trying to get you angry in one way or another, but as you ignore them, they will discover that you are a class about them.
    6 years ago

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    Martinsx1

    Martinsx1

    Exactly. Getting ignored is one of the most annoying thing to do someone seeking your attention. It kills right down to the soul and one's spirit, and it's the best way to deal with a competitor looking to drag your business image and reputation through the mud. Just focus on getting your business products to be of high quality and improve your business services and see your brand expand.
    6 years ago

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    lei08pineda

    lei08pineda

    I agree. Silence is the best way to revenge to those who spread smear campaigns against you. The more silent you were the pissed off they will be. Just focua on your own business and don't mind them.

    But also I think you must also consider why and what they are spreading. It might be a helpful tool for you too.
    6 years ago

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    Barida

    Barida

    I never knew that there are some campaigns until I was part of a site where it took place. The truth is that there are people that will always bring us down us especially when we are doing better than they are doing in that particular niche. Handling everything like a boss is one of the best ways to prove to them that you understand what they are doing.
    6 years ago

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    Martinsx1

    Martinsx1

    One thing that breeds these smear business camping is competitive nature of most businesses and the fight to secure more clients, so some business owners look at using foul means to ruin their fellow business competitors products in order to absorb their pre-existing customers and add to their own. It's mainly businesses where similar products and services are offered that you get to witness this smear campaign often.
    6 years ago

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    vinaya

    vinaya

    Never talk to the person or company doing the smear campaign. I will have to agree with this statement. Many years ago, when I was writing on hubpages, a certain person wrote something bad about me on hubpages forum. I felt the need to clarify my point and save myself. I replied to her comment. She retorted back. There was a long discussion. Then one day I got tired and stopped replying. Later, my mentor told me that by replying to the comment, I harmed myself. Since then I have stopped taking notice of such smear campaigns.
    6 years ago

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    amelia88

    amelia88

    So sad that people would stoop to the level of slandering their competitors but I guess in this day and age I’m not surprised that it happens! Great tips if it does happen to your business!
    6 years ago

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    Martinsx1

    Martinsx1

    Exactly! It's what we witness in everyday business because people are always looking for a way to stay ahead of their business products rivals by any means necessary. So, they get to use foul tactics and schemes in order to discredit their competitors credibility and usurp their product and market power.
    6 years ago

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    amelia88

    amelia88

    I always think it’s so much better to let your fantastic product or service do the talking but I guess if people feel like they can’t compete they might drop to that level! Good to be aware of it though!
    6 years ago

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    Kakashi2020

    Kakashi2020

    Another good way is to show your customers and competitors that you're not affected and that sales volume is up and that's why your competitors are ganging up on you. A good write-up can make a smear campaign work for you.
    6 years ago

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    jaymish2

    jaymish2

    A smear campaign is scary stuff. We often forget when we are online that we are dealing with people. People will always have personalities.They are people who will like you no matter what and others who will hate you no matter what you do. I agree that the best thing to do is not respond. The person who is attacking you will then look like a bully who is attacking you for nothing.However if you insist on attacking you will be attacking each other forever.
    6 years ago

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    DenisP

    DenisP

    At first, I read “Never talk to the person or company doing the smear campaign” and I thought to myself, “Seriously? The first thing I’d do is get my lawyers in on this, asap.” But then I read the actual paragraph and realized we’re on the same page.

    I agree, and I absolutely wouldn’t say anything to or about them online, as I don’t want it being possibly used against me in court. I’d just silently gather all the data that I need, and when the time is right—boom—you’re getting sued for slander.
    6 years ago

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    treecko142

    treecko142

    You can definitely turn smear campaigns to your own advantage, especially if those claims aren't based on any truth. In fact, this will even pique the interest of people to check your site and find the truth for themselves. Point is, as long as you aren't doing anything wrong, then you shouldn't be scared of these forms of competition, as they usually backfire on the people perpetrating it.
    6 years ago

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    NesMarcos

    NesMarcos

    Smear campaign is always not good to see for someone who owns the business. In some ways not all negative comments are untrue and came from someone who wants to benefit from the business. Smear campaign is always done to have a negative feedback to the rival company and it really helps to gain profit from this. It is indeed unfair however, ignoring the person or the company who's posting a smear campaign for you will hit them big time and will definitely piss them off!
    6 years ago

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    Corzhens

    Corzhens

    This case is very similar to what is happening in the personal accounts in social media. When there is a spat or quarrel, one party would create a fictitious account to smear the enemy. On the part of the enemy, he will do everything in order to identify the criminal who will naturally deny. It is important to identify the one who is doing the smear campaign otherwise the evil deed will persist. And when you catch him then you can sue him or ask for a public apology.
    6 years ago

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    jpk0007

    jpk0007

    I think that when your opponent is not able to match you with the quality of work that you are doing then he will definitely try to adopt such unethical practices like maligning your reputation and launching a vicious smear campaign against you. I think if one is not alert to this danger then there is a risk of losing some of your regular clients and customers due to it. if however, you are able to identify the culprit and limit the damage then it won't affect your business in the long run. The clients that you may have lost in the process are eventually going to return back to you as they will very quickly realize there mistake.
    6 years ago

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