As a business owner, you know that positive customer reviews are vital to your success. Not only do they help build trust with potential customers, but they also signal to search engines that your business is reputable and trustworthy. According to the internet, customers are willing to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews, and 92% of buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review. Since businesses with more reviews rank higher in search engine results as well, it stands to reason that you should at least attempt to get more positive reviews for your business. But how? This blog will help to explain how you might increase the reviews for your business.
Ask for reviews
The first thing that you should consider doing to increase your reviews online is to ask your customers for reviews. After you do business with a customer, simply ask them to leave a review. However, it must be easy for them to do so. You can ask in person, on the phone, or through email. If you have a physical location, you could put up signs or posters (calls to action) encouraging customers to leave a review. If the transaction occurred online, you could provide a link to various online review sites. If your business occurred in person, you could include a QR code on your flyers, receipts, business cards or other marketing materials so all your customer had to do was scan the code to get to the review site.
Offer incentives
If you really want people to leave reviews, another way to encourage them is to offer them an incentive. This could be a discount, a coupon, or a free gift for completing a review. You must communicate the conditions for receiving the incentive and the conditions for receiving it, but by offering incentives for feedback, people will feel that the review was worth their time. Your incentives could also be different for each platform, such as Google or Yelp.
Follow up
After concluding business with a customer, you can also follow up. Sending a personalized email or text message a few days later to ask how everything went and whether they would be willing to leave a review can come across as invested and genuine. It is important to make sure the email actually feels genuine, though, and not like an automated message. Including links or instructions on how to leave a review could be helpful, but it is important not to be afraid to ask.
Respond to reviews
Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you value customer feedback. It also encourages customers to leave reviews in the first place, knowing that their feedback will be heard. A Brightline 2022 Local Customer Review Survey found that 89% of people were highly or fairly likely to use a business that responds to all of its online reviews whether they are positive or negative. Responding to negative feedback can allow a customer to see that you are invested in their happiness. Making a point to respond to feedback shows both current and future customers that you truly care about their experience.
Use social media
Social media can be a powerful tool for getting more reviews. Google Analytics can show you exactly which platform is sending you the most traffic, and you can prioritize getting reviews on that one first. For Facebook, you should make sure that your review tab is visible and activated. For Google, it is important to verify your business, which will let your reviews pop up in map searches and will allow you to respond to reviews. You also should have your Google page as part of your email signature. Another social media tip is to rank positive reviews as helpful. This will prioritize the most positive comments and will show users that people are actually reading the reviews. For LinkedIn, you can promote your profiles on your site and email and invite connections to review you. And, for Yelp, you can have a Yelp review badge on your site. This will send loyal traffic there to write reviews for you. You can also place Yelp signs in your store.
Provide exceptional customer service
Great customer support is one of the best ways to get positive reviews. Make sure your employees are trained to provide excellent service and go above and beyond to meet customer needs. While one bad customer service experience can tarnish a customer’s opinion of a product or brand, an exceptional experience can turn them into loyal brand advocates. Customers who have a great experience are more likely to leave a positive review without being prompted.
Engage with your customers
Engaging with your customers on social media and in person can also encourage them to leave a review. Respond to comments and questions on social media and engage with customers in person by asking about their experience and thanking them for their business. Consider creative ways that you can interact with your customers – this can be in person or online. Sponsoring charitable events or speaking at local events can help. Online, a company blog that shares information about your product can increase engagement. Increasing customer engagement helps build trust, which can lead to a customer feeling valued by your company.
There are several ways to increase the number of reviews your business receives. The most important thing to remember is to make it easy for customers to leave a review and to offer incentives for doing so. Following up with customers and responding to reviews, both positive and negative, also shows that you value their feedback. Utilizing social media and providing exceptional customer service can also increase the likelihood of receiving positive reviews. Finally, engaging with customers both in person and online can help build trust and encourage them to leave a review. By implementing these strategies, you can improve your online reputation and attract new customers to your business. If you need additional support, reach out to a Bryant Consultants practice coach at info@bryant consultants.com.
