Want to know how to increase your business reviews? Remain open to the suggestions other businesses make. Read customer reviews in your industry for insight.
As a business online, you may find it challenging to get customers to leave reviews. People don't take the time to praise firms for a job well done. On a similar note, they aren't afraid to put them on blast when they find something wrong with a company, though. It's a double-edged sword in some cases.
You want to ask for a review of your business but also limit the number of negative reviews you receive in the process. So, how do you make it happen? How can business owners encourage reviews from their customers?
It's much easier than you thought. The tips listed here help you take your happy customers, help them write a review that gives your business greater exposure, and gives you the chance to respond to reviews, so you build rapport with the people you sell to for the first time. This is your guide on how to increase your business reviews successfully.
Know what types of customers you're dealing with and the value they receive from your brand.
There are three types of satisfied customers. They are the ones who see the value of your products and services. They are Referrers, Promoters, and Those Who are the Most Engaged. Each of these customers has a role in your success. They've had a pleasant experience with your brand and are willing to share it with others.
Referrers send their family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to you. Promoters can't say enough good things about your business. They're often known as Influencers. Finally, some are the Most Engaged, which are the people who get the most benefit from your products and services. They interact with your content and willingly share what they've gained from shopping with you.
Optimize your content so that customers write reviews from every device.
Among the fastest and easiest ways to encourage customers to write a review is to optimize the content you share. Include badges that lead to a multitude of review sites. This way, all a person needs to do is click and open the site they want to share their experience on immediately. Including a Google review link in your posts makes it easier for your customers, especially if they're viewing your content on a mobile phone. It doesn't seem like a lot of work to share what they know about your business with others.
Include posts on your social media account that share reviews from satisfied customers.
Customers' experiences are always worth sharing, especially when they're positive and put your business in the limelight. Dedicate a post every week or two weeks to this type of content. Make sure to get permission from the customer to use their feedback. Then, create a post around the praise you received. Use it to highlight a product or service that you think others should know about right away.
Have your customers use the Personal Recommendations option on Facebook.
Achieve 'very responsive' badge on Facebook by being available to answer customer questions and respond to the reviews that you've received on the social media platform. People who receive a referral to your page through the Personal Recommendation option can ask questions, rate your business (after experiencing it for themselves), and encourage their family and friends to use the tool, too.
Use your email signature as another chance to ask for a review.
Your email account provides valuable real estate that is often not used to its fullest capacity. That's why you should rethink your email signature. Use it to ask customers to post reviews on the different review sites. That way, they help you get the word out about your business without any real effort from you.
Print a message on your business cards that encourage your customers to leave a review on Yelp.
Your business card presents additional space on it for text. Why not make your personalized message one that relates to reviews? You can ask your customers to rate the customer service they received by writing an online review. It's yet another way to get reviews up and online where other customers can discover them.
Use an automated review system to contact your customers.
Using a service such as ReputationStacker saves you time. It allows you to separate satisfied customers from dissatisfied customers through a one question survey. Happy customers get directed to a review site where they can share their feedback. Unhappy customers get sent to you, where you have the opportunity to turn their experience around for them.
Tell your customers what you want from a review.
Ask that they explain why they made their purchase and how they benefited from it. There's no confusion because you're letting the customer know exactly what to do. If the review is negative, it merits just as much of a response as one that is positive. You can include instructions on how to review the printed materials that you place in a box with a customer's order, too.
Surprise reviewers with a discount coupon or special promotion.
An incentive that you don't publicly announce is a great way to form a long-lasting relationship with your customers. Anyone who has taken the time to give you feedback gets a discount coupon or special promotion sent to their inbox as a way of saying, "Thank you!". When someone takes you up on your offer and decides to Google my business as you've instructed, they'll see plenty of satisfied customers who have taken the time to get to know you and what you have to offer them.
Get the Reviews That You Need From Customers to Make Your Biz Stand Out
Applying the tips listed above helps people find you easier on a search engine. In addition to your website, you'll also have listings on review sites such as Yelp, which extends your reach as a business and helps new customers get to know you. Customer reviews drive sales and traffic to your brick and mortar store, too.
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