Customer reviews are one of the most powerful tools for any business wanting to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
They provide social proof, credibility, and trustworthiness for your products or services, they can also influence the purchasing decisions of potential new customers and should be part of any business marketing strategy.
So, why do so few businesses ask for them?
- Some believe that asking for reviews is tacky or unprofessional. They think that it makes them look like they are begging for attention or that they don’t have enough confidence in their product or service.
- Others are afraid of getting negative reviews. They worry that if they ask for reviews, they will only get negative feedback from unhappy customers.
- While others don’t know how to ask for reviews in a way that is effective and polite. They don’t want to come across as pushy or annoying.
Don’t worry if you identify with any of the above, all is not lost, you just need to have faith, read the rest of this article and start asking.
How do I get more customer reviews? And why is it important to ask for them?
Depending on the vertical you operate in, the way you ask for a customer review may differ; however, the outcome and results will be the same.
For example, if you have a retail business it might be at the point of sale, with a polite sign, asking for a review with the logos of where they can review you. If you email your invoices, put a link at the bottom asking for a review and direct it to your preferred review platform, such as Trust Pilot, Facebook or Google Business Page. If you run a cafe, bar or restaurant, it might be on the bottom of a menu, possibly as a QR Code.
This also works for businesses that sell online, who also have the opportunity to add a reminder with the products they sell. There is also an opportunity to follow up by email at a later date, to see ask the customer’s thoughts on a product or service.
It can also be done via Messenger and WhatsApp, and using the right kind of software, links can also be added to SMS messages. These are all excellent ways of getting the message out to your customers and directly to the apps they use the most.
If you work in hospitality and haven’t yet got your front-of-house staff trained to ask for reviews, you are missing a trick and should rethink your induction training, to include how to politely ask for reviews.
One of the reasons that training your staff to ask customers for reviews, is that there are more of them than you. Imagine how long it would take if you had to do it yourself.
What if a customer service issue arises?
If a customer service issue arises and the customer isn’t happy with the product or service, managing a complaint on the premises enables you to resolve any issues that may have gone unnoticed had the customer not been asked for the review.
Managing a complaint in this way can help mitigate negative reviews, as the problem can often be solved before it becomes a major issue.
The customer isn’t always right, sometimes the customer can be wrong. However, make no bones about it, if they walk away unhappy they are more likely to leave a negative review, probably on multiple platforms. Along with telling their friends, relatives, people at the local shop, etc. You get the picture.
Businesses need to take customer satisfaction seriously and make every effort to resolve customer complaints in a timely and fair manner.
In today’s always-on, twenty-four-hour digital society, customer reviews are more important than ever.
When potential customers are deciding whether or not to do business with you, they will turn to online reviews to get a sense of what other people have experienced. Don’t forget this is happening 24 hours a day now, not just during business hours.
Positive reviews can help you earn the trust of potential customers and boost your sales. Negative reviews, on the other hand, can damage your reputation and make it difficult to attract new customers.
That’s why it’s so important to always ask for customer reviews.
When you ask for reviews, you’re not only showing that you care about what your customers have to say, but you’re also giving them a chance to help you improve your business.
Here are a few tips for getting more customer reviews:
- Make it easy for customers to leave reviews: One of the best ways to get more customer reviews is to make it as easy as possible for them to leave reviews. You can do this by adding links to your review pages, in invoice emails, on your website or at the point of sale, maybe using QR Codes. You can also encourage customers to leave reviews by offering them discounts or rewards. Be creative and don’t be scared to try different methods until you find one that works best for you.
- Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative: It’s important to respond to ALL customer reviews, both positive and negative. When you respond to positive reviews, you’re thanking your customers for their feedback and showing that you appreciate their business. When you respond to negative reviews, you’re showing that you’re taking their concerns seriously and that you’re committed to improving your business.
- Use customer reviews to improve your business: Customer reviews can be a valuable source of feedback that you can use to improve your business. When you read reviews, pay attention to what customers are saying about your products or services. You can also use reviews to identify areas where you may need to improve your customer service.
- Ask your regular customers: This may seem an obvious one but as I found out myself recently, you may have some customers that you’ve been working with for many years, which you may never have asked before. Regular customers can be a valuable source of positive reviews, as in some cases, they have happily continued to use your products or services for many years.
By following these tips, I hope you can get more customer reviews and use them to improve your business.
In summary, here are some benefits of getting positive customer reviews:
- They can help you build trust and credibility with potential customers.
- They can improve your search engine ranking.
- They can help you identify areas where you need to improve your products or services.
- They can help you increase sales.
- They can help mitigate negative reviews.
If you’re not already asking for customer reviews, now is the time to start revising your digital marketing strategy. By doing so, you can improve your business and increase your chances of success.
Surely, having satisfied customers is the best marketing strategy of all?
If you need help with gaining customer reviews online or revising your digital marketing strategy, please give me a call 01704 332127, I’d love to help.
