It has crossed the mind of every small business owner and CEO: "What if someone says something negative about my brand on social media?" Let me clear things up. If you are a B2C business, it is not if but when. (B2B businesses are not immune either, it is just less common.)
The comment could be a disgruntled customer, a misinformed busybody, or even a competitor using shady tactics. It might be a tweet, a Facebook post or an unflattering photo. Negative sentiment is bound to happen sooner or later, and it is best to prepare for it beforehand. Here is how to handle it, starting from the worst case and working down.
A serious incident involving your company
If your company is directly connected to an injury or worse, have an emergency meeting with the CEO, president, the rest of the C-level and the head of marketing immediately, no matter the hour. Consult legal counsel right away to determine next steps while marketing does damage control. Do not admit fault, keep public statements general, acknowledge you are aware and looking into it, and run every word by the top of the organization before posting. This is a good time to bring in an experienced PR agency.
Someone got sick or had a bad experience
Empathize, and ask them to send you a direct message so the situation can be resolved privately, one-on-one. It shows you care and take it seriously while minimizing public chatter. For a general bad experience, offer to connect them with a customer-service rep or technician, and take the conversation offline.
A troll is trolling
First, make sure you are actually dealing with a troll and not just an upset customer. If it is over-the-top and mean-spirited, feel free to ignore it. If it is genuinely offensive or hateful, report or block the person. Do not start a dialogue, because that is exactly what they are after. There is a saying: do not feed the trolls. Just do not.
Whatever situation you are in, respond with a level head and remember that anything you say can be seen by millions. Stay true to your brand's voice and values, take care of your customers, and you will be fine.