Should you hug your haters? Hear the story of one dealership that did just that.

Alright, raise your hand if you have haters. No, not family members…haters with your dealership. No, not your co-workers. I mean people who don’t like your deals, your incentives or your cars?

Well, the more important question for Aaron Wirtz (Media and Marketing Manager with Subaru of Wichita) was; How do I turn a negative situation from haters into a promotional idea that markets my dealership?

When a local labor group objected to Subaru of Wichita and placed a sign in front of the dealership (that said “shame on Subaru of Wichita), Wirtz and his team combatted the hate with love…turning a protest into free advertising with their own sign that read, “for having unbeatable prices.” Word of Aaron’s quick-thinking idea spread quickly, and soon after, the story was featured nationally.

That genius move by Wirtz and his team is getting recognized in a new book by Jay Baer titled, Hug Your Haters: How to embrace complaints and keep your customers.

The book is based on an extensive study into the science of complaint and the how, where, and why we complain…and then how situations are handled.