Customer Approved: 7 Ways to Get Business Reviews
88% of customers look at online reviews before making a purchase. So what happens if your small business has little to no reviews? Simple.
It gets passed over.
Reviews are everything. It can be hard to find a foundation when you’re competing with large companies that have hundreds or thousands of reviews. And with fewer customers, you have a smaller selection of people who can leave a review in the first place.
You’re ready to get business reviews and build your online presence. So what’s the secret to asking customers for reviews? Here are 7 ways to get them talking.
1. Become Verified on Business Review Websites
You could create a plug-in or widget to host reviews on your website, but that won’t do you any favors. Reviews are an important way for potential customers to find your business. If they aren’t easily accessible, you’ll never convert these leads.
That’s why it’s important to register and verify your business on popular review websites. These include Yelp, Google, and Facebook. Your business is likely already in the register of these websites, but they have limited functionality until you make the claim.
For example, once you verify your business on Google, it will appear in the sidebar during search results. You can also add links on these review websites that lead to your landing page or services. It’s an easy, essential step to expand your reach.
2. Make Reviewing Simple
The reality is your ordinary customers won’t go out of their way to leave reviews. However, excellent customer service or terrible experiences could lead people to take that extra step.
Want to know how to get business reviews? Make it easy to give them. By streamlining the review process, you’ll lower the bar of entry and increase the range of customers leaving reviews.
Add review information to your company’s website, emails, and other online points of contact. With a direct hyperlink to business review websites, you’re only asking a customer to make a single click.
With this, you’ll encourage customer reviews without asking for them outright.
3. Reply to Reviewers
Not every review will be pleasant. Mistakes happen when you’re running a company, and some customers are quick to hold a grudge.
By replying to negative reviews, you have the opportunity to take some of the teeth out of the most scalding remarks.
But reply to the positive ones, too. Thank your loyal customers for taking the time out of their day to give their personal experience.
The next time someone considers leaving a review, they’ll see that you’re tapped into the conversation. It’s more likely they’ll create a review if they aren’t just shouting into the abyss.
4. Get Business Reviews With Incentives
You can’t buy business reviews. Well, you can, but it’s against the guidelines of the major review websites. They’ll be detected and removed, and you’ll have a PR nightmare on your hands.
However, providing incentives to leave a review is A-OK. Offer coupons or discounts to those who leave reviews. You can send these offers across your company newsletter, texts, or online.
Just make sure that the offer is without stipulation. Yes, even if someone writes a 1-star review, you owe them that coupon code.
Check your landing page to avoid these web design mistakes.
5. Highlight Glowing Reviews
Stunning reviews are meant to be displayed. Some review websites, such as Yelp, allow you to highlight your favorite reviews. This puts them at the top so they’re the first thing potential customers see.
Better yet, you can incorporate them into your marketing efforts. Include a clean graphic and share them across social media. Great reviews are a surefire way to drum up business.
This tactic kills two birds with one stone.
By sharing reviews, you’re giving your audience a cue to leave their own. This marketing tactic is known as social proof. Since other people are doing it, maybe they should, too.
6. Solicit Strategic Reviews
If you’re an e-commerce store, you don’t want to ask your customer for a review before they’ve made their purchase. Are they going to gush about how easy it was to search through your catalog? Probably not.
Too many companies make the mistake of asking for immediate reviews. Maybe they’ve just made a purchase. It will likely be one or two weeks before they even receive their product, so they have nothing to talk about.
Consider your strategy before you solicit reviews. You may want to send a follow-up email two or three weeks after the purchase, asking the customer if they’re happy with the product.
By asking for reviews in advance, you invite the possibility of alienating or annoying your customer. They’ll leave lukewarm reviews during the shopping experience unless you have an amazing e-commerce website.
7. Utilize Your Newsletter
Your business likely has a mailing list of some kind, whether it’s a newsletter or something else. Consider implementing an email marketing campaign with these contacts. Why?
Because only your best customers will have bothered signing up for email updates. This audience will be more inclined to leave reviews in general, and most of them are likely to be glowing recommendations.
It’s preferable to soliciting reviews from any old visitor that lands on your website since they may not be as passionate about your company.
Improve Your Online Presence
The more you give, the more you get. This is the philosophy behind an effective online presence. When customers research your business online, they want to see a slew of great reviews and a responsive company.
Get business reviews and become the company your clients are looking for. Oak City Technology has over ten years of experience attracting new customers with cutting-edge online solutions. Contact us and help your small business thrive.
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