If you’re running a small business and are trying to get ahead, having solid customer reviews may be your key to success. But, most customers won’t write reviews just because.
Often, getting a substantial amount of positive reviews comes down to a business initiative to convince customers to them.
Nowadays, a good product is not enough. You will need to consistently encourage and remind your customers to give reviews and make yourself available to grab these reviews as a whole. Here are a few strategies on how to get those coveted positive reviews of your product or service online.
1. Run Review Campaigns
We’ve all gotten emails from trusted companies asking us to review their services. As customers, we will typically only review those companies that have left a lasting impression on us, be it positive or negative.
Directly asking your customers for reviews is a great way to accumulate a good online reputation. There are also certain ways to target the best customers.
Looking at repeat customers or customers that spend a large amount may be a great way to ensure that the reviews they leave are positive and beneficial in the long run.
2. Be Accessible
It’s important to remember that, unfortunately, customers won’t put a lot of effort into writing reviews, but they will put a lot of effort into finding them.
For that reason, you should make it as easy as possible for a customer to write positive reviews.
A good part of making it easy is being accessible. This means that you should be present on every and any review site.
This includes sites dedicated to reviews, such as Yelp, or common sites such as Facebook or Amazon.
Creating profiles for your business will leave you accessible and more likely to receive that next great review.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to have a link on your website and in your email signature which takes a client directly to your business profile on the review site most beneficial to your business.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do this for your Google Business Profile.
3. Perfect Your Timing
Getting the best reviews online is often a matter of timing.
You need to be careful of exactly when you reach out to a customer for a review in order to increase the likelihood that they review your product.
One good rule of thumb is to reach out to a customer along with a confirmation of their order being received. That way, you can get some immediate positive feedback as they are excited about their new product!
If you provide a service, make it a standard part of your procedure to ask for the review upon the completion of the service when the customer is pleased that you’ve met or exceeded their expectations.
You’ve got to strike while the iron is hot!
To increase the likelihood of getting that coveted positive review, plant the seed in the customer’s head before you begin!
Say something like ” Ma’am, if I meet or exceed your expectations, can I count on you submitting a good review?”
This way, when you do a great job, they will be happy to oblige you as part of your agreement!
4. Respond to Reviews
Customers are more likely to leave reviews if they feel they will have an impact. By responding to reviews, you indicate that you have some form of customer care and that you see reviews in a positive light.
Though it may be hard, be sure to be courteous regardless of if reviews are positive or negative.
You will show potential customers that you are willing to improve if you respond well to negative reviews online. You are also more likely to receive further, positive feedback from a negative customer.
The Benefits of Positive Reviews
Positive reviews can help you in gaining more customers and in securing the ones now. Before you can reap these benefits, though, you should use the strategies above to start gathering those positive reviews!
If you’d like to maximize your ability to leverage the power of positive reviews, contact us today and ask us about our Review Generation & Management Solution.
