So, You Got a Bad Review... Now What?

Oof. Nothing stings quite like a bad review—especially when you know how much love, time, and sweat went into creating what you sold.

I got really curious about this for a couple of reasons… first, because we’re starting to host guests in the Otter Creek Treehouse here, and while we sure hope to show guests a wonderful time, I know there will be some who will see a spider on a tree and ding us on the rating!

Second, because I’m in the process of creating the first Product Discovery Club call (seriously, need a better name) - which will help a handful of product sellers who are still working on getting their first 100 reviews.

It can be kind of nerve-wracking putting your “baby” out there for people to judge review.

Like… what if someone hates it?????

But what if we told you that one-star review could be the best thing that happens to your business?

In our latest live training, customer experience expert Anastasia Vladychynska (yes, I practiced saying it!) dropped some serious wisdom on how to actually respond to negative feedback. And it wasn’t what most of us expected.

Whether you sell handmade soap or 6-month coaching packages, here are five things you need to know:

1. Stop protecting the baby.
When someone bashes your product or offer, your instinct is to defend it. But public replies full of emotion do more harm than good. Breathe. Walk away. Then respond from a place of grounded confidence—not fire.

2. Review requests have choreography.
Would a restaurant ask for a Yelp review before you’ve even been seated? No? Then don’t ask for one before your customer has used your product. Time your request for after the experience—and explain why it matters.

3. Bad reviews build trust.
All 5-star reviews = suspicion. (We’ve all seen those sketchy listings.) A few bad ones—handled with grace—show potential buyers that you’re real, responsive, and legit.

4. Don’t automate your replies.
Even one-size-fits-all responses like “We’re sorry to hear this…” can hurt your brand. Tailor each reply. Speak like a human. Show you care—even if the reviewer is being a little extra.

5. Reviews are currency—so make it easy to pay.
People are busy. If they’ve already told you how much they love your product, ask them to copy/paste it into Amazon or Etsy. Want to boost your chances? Offer a small thank-you or gift. It doesn’t have to be huge—just thoughtful.

This training was packed with practical takeaways and hilarious “please don’t do this” examples. You’ll never look at restaurant reviews the same again.

📺 Watch the full replay here

Pro Tip: When replying to a review, write your response, then run it past someone who isn’t emotionally invested. (Your bestie + ChatGPT = great options.)
This protects your tone, your brand—and your sanity.

Let’s Talk:
Ever gotten a bad review? How did you handle it—and what would you do differently now? Hit reply or drop a comment in the group. We want to hear your story.

More trainings like this are coming soon. Stay wild, stay human—and remember: not every bad review is about you. Sometimes, it's just someone else's bad day.

💚

Sue

The last round of Rewrite Your Money Story took a turn none of us expected—at least, not this soon.

We were only a few sessions in when we did a simple exercise: each member walked away with a $25K, $50K, and $100K offer.

Not an “aspirational” offer. Not a maybe-someday offer.
A real offer. That they could say out loud. With a straight face. And eventually, with real belief behind it.

The shift was instant.
One member said that offer alone—just knowing it existed—was worth the cost of the program.

And she’s right. Because once you see yourself as someone who can confidently offer that level of transformation, your relationship with money, visibility, and value starts to change fast.

If you’re in a season where your outer business is growing, but your inner voice still whispers, “Who do you think you are?”—this is the space for you.

The next round starts Tuesday, May 13 at 6 pm Eastern.
Details here: https://moneystory.carrd.co

Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.

Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.

Sign up now!