WHEN YOU HAVE TO WRITE A REVIEW

Guys do you ever confused when you should review something or someplace, but when you get that thing or come to that place you think that isn't as expected?

Well, I ever was. This happened almost a month ago when one of my friends asked me to come to the cafe where he works. He would treat me at the cafe on condition that I have to promote the cafe (by reason of the code ethics, I will not mention the cafe, so throughout this writing, I will always call it "That Cafe").

I write this, with the aim of sharing my experience when someone asked me to make a review but it was not in accordance with expectations, but I didn't want to fool the readers. I mean, I want to be as objective as possible when I have to review anything, if it's good I say good, if it's not good I say it's not good, but in this position, I have a code ethics for my friend, too.

When I get something for free from some person and they’re waiting an impression from me, then I tell everyone about my impression is “This thing is bad”, of course, it will hurt them. Isn't that bad too? Therefore, here I write how to anticipate a review where we don't need to judge whether this is good or bad, but instead make our friends who read our review "more" curious about the place or something we have reviewed.

So, let's begin ...

I'm not an internet celebrity, I accept my friend's request not because I want to eat for free, or I'm looking for popularity, but I just want to help to promote the cafe where my friend works. I also told my friend that I wouldn’t make a big impact for that cafe, because once again, I'm not a celebrity internet, but he had understood, he just wanted to tell the people around me about the cafe.

When my gang and I plan to make our trip plans to several countries in Southeast Asia next year, I also take the initiative that this is a good opportunity to fulfill my promise to my friend to visit him at the cafe where he works, so I can promoting the cafe on my Instagram account. Although I also brought money to pay food that I would eat there, because it felt bad if he really had to treat me, whereas I don't think I would have a big impact on the cafe after I promoted it.

After my gang and I arrived at the cafe, my first impression was, nothing special there. Actually, the cafe is in a strategic place and is in the heart of the city as well as tourist destinations. It's just, they don't have a clear concept and identity.

Do you realize that the strategy of a businessman, especially in the culinary field, the concept and identity of their business is one of the keys to the successful? Even my friend who works there also admitted, that this cafe doesn’t have a clear concept, so after four years of standing, the owner has not received feedback from the business he runs.

It looks small but this also plays a big role, the concept of building greatly influences the reason someone to visits the cafe. When I came, I felt that the cafe didn't have a strong appeal. If only my friend never asked me to come to that cafe, if by chance I was on the street to find a hangout place, architecturally and interior I wouldn't have chosen that cafe.

I don't know what the owner really wants to bring the theme to the cafe, because I don't feel retro, classic or modern, or maybe both. If the owner wants to integrate classic and modern style in his cafe, unfortunately, his efforts weren't successful.

Unfortunately, I also didn't take photos of the interior of the cafe because at that time I didn't intend to write that cafe on my blog, so I'm sorry I couldn't post any photo of the cafe's interior.

So, what have I done to review a very ordinary cafe at an unfriendly price so that I shouldn't fool the readers but can also please my friend?

First, don't use excessive words to flatter a place, and yes, this applies to everything we can review. Be the smart reviewer.

Second, when you are in a confusing position because of something that isn't good, but you have to review it, then make your reader curious about something you review with persuasive sentences, but not excessive.

Third, it depends on what you will use the word "recommendation", but I prefer to use the word "may try to put it in the list of places to be visited", sounds wiser, isn't it?

Well, for now, I guess that's what I want to say, good luck for your review. See you!