“The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself”, Douglas MacArthur. Collecting and sharing online reviews about your business is one of the most valuable things you can do when it comes to promoting your business. 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business. And 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Search Engine Land). Businesses sometimes struggle with gaining positive reviews and asking their customers to talk about their business. We are here to provide you with some tips on how you can gather business reviews for your business.
Only 33% of businesses are actively seeking and collecting reviews (iMPACT). This is likely because they don’t know how to ask their customers to provide feedback for them and/or are scared to gain a negative review. As the Irish saying goes; “The amount of good luck coming your way depends on your willingness to act”, Barbara Sher. Don’t be afraid of a negative review. It personalizes your business and if you respond in a way that consumers feel is appropriate, it will actually encourage them to become customers, as it personalizes your business and shows your brand cares.
Here are some tips for how you can gather business reviews for your business:
Find the Right Moment
Asking for customer reviews at the right point in their buying journey is key. Business relationships have natural up and downs, from times of sticker shock or buyer’s remorse before a successful result, to times of euphoria after their pain/problem is successfully resolved (HubSpot).
It is important for you to ask for a review at the right time. If you ask for a review at the wrong moment, it could result in a negative review. Ask for reviews after the customer has experienced success with your product or service, they have become a reoccurring customer, or they revisit your website and are spending time looking at additional items you offer.
Be Consistent
More reviews means increased trust in your brand. According to BigCommerce, 50 or more reviews per product can mean a 4.6% increase in conversion rates. Keeping reviews current and consistently gathering them should be a part of your regular process. Consumers aren’t looking for something someone said about your business months or years ago, they want to know about your business in the here and now.
Your business should be asking for reviews after all positive and successful engagements with a customer. If your business is in the field, teach your staff to ask for reviews after they complete service. If mainly online, you can include review links after the checkout process on your website. You can also send follow up emails to customers a few days after service or purchase, amongst other things. Regardless what methods you chose for collecting reviews, you should be doing so on a regular cadence.
Ask Open-ended Questions
Be conversational when asking a customer for a review. If you ask open-ended questions to start, such as: “How are you liking the product/service?”, “When will you be ready to purchase again?”, or “How was your recent interaction with us?” you can start a conversation to better understand their level of satisfaction before actually asking for the review.
By starting with open-ended questions you will get a better understanding of where the customer is at with their satisfaction and if they would be a good person to gather a business review from. If they aren’t 100% there yet, this is the time to change their mind and make them a fan of your brand.
Make it Easy to Leave a Review
If leaving a review is too difficult for a consumer, they will be less likely to do so. You should make it as simple as possible for your customers to provide reviews for you.
Provide consumers with multiple options so they can leave a review on a platform they are most comfortable with. Minimize the number of clicks and steps they must take, by including a link directly to the page where they leave a review. Ask them for the review with leading questions so they are not at a loss for what to write about (for example: “Will you provide a review about your most recent experience with our service team?”).
There is an Irish Proverb that says, “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have”. The same is true with consumers. This is why it is so important to encourage your customers to talk about and promote your brand for you.
At Water Bear Marketing, with one tool, you can manage all of your business listing locations on up to 44 different directories, such as: Google my Business, Facebook, Yelp, and Merchant Circle. Stay in control of your business listings and manage and acquire reviews.
With our business listing widget, you are able to easily display reviews customers have provided for you on your website. Let your customers help do the selling for you. Contact us today for a free consultation and to get started.