How to Respond to Negative Comments About Your Business
Contributed by SBOC Member:
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
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Knowing how to respond to negative comments about your business is one of the most underrated skills an entrepreneur can have, especially when it happens publicly and fast.
One of our audience members brought a real scenario: they got screenshotted. Not by a satisfied customer or someone spreading good news. By someone in a Facebook group who thought their pricing was excessive. The screenshot went viral in the group, and suddenly their name was attached to the word “expensive.” What do you do in that moment? Do you respond? Do you ignore it? Do you pour yourself a strong coffee and pretend it never happened?
Who's Really Behind Negative Comments About Your Business
First, let’s get some perspective. The person who screenshotted your pricing and complained about it is not ahead of you. They’re behind you. The people ahead of you don’t have the energy or interest to punch down at your pricing. They’re too busy working. They’re too focused on their own businesses. The people who spend time calling others expensive in Facebook groups are the ones struggling with pricing themselves or who fundamentally don’t understand the value of what you offer.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting. But it’s important to remember who you’re actually dealing with. This is someone in a position of frustration or defensiveness, not someone who should inform your pricing strategy.
How to Set Your Price Without Apologizing for It
Here’s how to think about your pricing: it should be set at the highest point you can say out loud with a straight face that clients will still say yes. That’s it. That’s the formula. Not what the market is charging. Not what you think is fair. Not what your competition is doing. What price can you state confidently, without apologizing, without backing down, knowing that enough people will say yes?
And here’s a dirty secret nobody tells you: if your clients are saying yes too quickly, you’re not high enough. When a potential client hears your price and immediately says yes without pushback, that’s a sign you left money on the table. It means you could have gone higher and they still would have hired you. The people who find you “expensive” and complain about it? They’re not your clients anyway. They were never going to say yes at any price point, because they don’t see the value or they don’t have the budget.
So if someone goes online and screams that you’re expensive, your first thought shouldn’t be “I should lower my prices.” Your first thought should be “This person was never a client anyway.”
How to Respond to Negative Comments About Your Pricing
Most of the time, the best move is not to respond. Let it be. But if you decide to engage, here’s the framework: stay factual, stay non-emotional, and be remarkably kind. Kill them with kindness. Don’t get defensive. Don’t explain yourself. Don’t justify your pricing or try to convince them of your value. They’re not your audience anyway. Your response isn’t for them. It’s for everyone else reading the thread.
A simple response might look like: “Thanks for the feedback. Our pricing reflects the value and expertise we bring to every project. We work with clients who are looking for quality and peace of mind. If that’s not the right fit for you, I completely understand. We wish you the best.” You’re not angry. You’re not apologizing. You’re not explaining. You’re simply stating what you do and moving on.
What you’re doing is signaling to everyone else in the group: this business stands behind their work. They don’t get flustered. They don’t get mean. They don’t try to convince you. That’s the exact opposite of desperate, and it actually makes you look stronger, not weaker.
What Happens When You Engage With Online Critics
The person who posted that screenshot wants a fight. They want you to respond emotionally. They want you to defend yourself. If you do that, they win. You’ve given them your attention, your energy, and you’ve confirmed that you care what they think. The best move is to either ignore it completely or respond with the grace I mentioned above, then move on. Don’t engage further. Don’t argue. Don’t try to change their mind. It won’t work, and it wastes your energy.
Sean made a great point in the conversation: use this as an opportunity to showcase your premium positioning. The fact that someone is calling you expensive is almost a compliment. It means you’re priced in a way that signals quality and exclusivity. You’re not the cheapest option. That’s intentional. That’s by design. And the people who should be working with you understand and respect that.
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Contributed by
Pat Miller
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
Pat spent two decades in broadcasting management and hosting. After leaving the radio industry, he spent time consulting small businesses and realized the support system for entrepreneurs was broken. Where could you find help for improving small businesses and building real connections with other like-minded people. In June of 2020, the Idea Collective Small Business Community was born.