For a reason, that is: online reviews have unparalleled influence on consumer buying decisions in today’s digital era. They are very genuine and unbiased, something no advertising campaign can ever achieve.
Customer reviews have turned into one of the most effective word-of-mouth in modern times, capable of building up or ruining the reputation of a local business while their sales figures are highly influenced by such reviews.
Still don’t believe how crucial reviews are to a small business? Here are just some key statistics you should know about online reviews:
- 99.9%+ of consumers read reviews at least sometimes when online shopping.
- Positive reviews were named by 91% of people as a reason for patronizing a business.
- As many as 79% of people believe online reviews to be as good as personal recommendations.
- Only 13% would even consider engaging in business with a rating as low as two stars.
Online reviews work as social proof for the quality of your product or service, establish your authority and build trust. For this very reason, a local company should aim to collect as many positive reviews as possible.
Below are ways that you may encourage reviews for your local business.
Collect Email Contacts During the Checkout Process
By asking for the customer’s email address and phone number at the time of purchasing, you increase the chances of getting a review from them greatly. This is because, in general, people give their contact details to any business willingly, a good indication that they most likely have had a good experience and are willing to share it with others.
Of course, after one has had his or her email, a week after he or she should send him/her a follow-up friendly message, asking humbly to write an honest review about his or her experience with the business.
Note: Always check and follow the current official guidelines of the review platform on the solicitation of reviews:
- See Google’s guidelines to obtain reviews.
- See Yelp’s recommendations to get reviews.
- Read TrustPilot’s instructions to request a review.
Appreciate Honest Feedback Out Loud
Let your employees learn to appreciate honest feedback out loud. This is particularly crucial when interacting with satisfied customers. Again, let me remind you that this might not work if there is a stream of customers and some general “Please review us” message is being said to all.
But under the right circumstances and rapport, just encourage friendly staff to use their judgment and say something like, “We would greatly appreciate it if you would consider leaving a review about our business.
In that way, the request for a review will sound genuine-not pushy. And remember, this rule applies across the board, both in-store staff and online or phone support.
In-Store Review Encouragement Signs
Being a local business based on a physical store, you can always use in-store signs as another channel to encourage reviews. You will be able to do this with banners, flyers, brochures, and window clings. Probably the best way is to add a review request at the bottom of the bill receipt for your customers.
You can also build an in-store kiosk app and then bring customers directly onto a web page on your business website where they can quickly leave an on-site review.
Alternatively, you could give a QR code that, when scanned, links them to a list of review profile links, allowing the customers to decide which channel they want to use in writing reviews. Such clear visual reminders will help your customers remember that you want to hear from them online and let them know just how much you appreciate their opinion in continuing to improve your service.
Encourage Future Sales
While your most loyal customers may already be telling friends and family with infectious enthusiasm about your brand, the rest just need a little prod to encourage them to leave reviews. One very effective way is to offer discounts, coupons, or other incentives in return for a review.
Just remember that fake reviews, like any other form of engagement, are not really appreciated by Google and most platforms. That doesn’t mean you can’t incentivize; it only means you should not incentivize for positive reviews.
You will be okay with the policy as long as you extend that same coupon or incentive with a customer who left a two-star review as you do to the customer who wrote a five-star review.
Display Review Reminders on Your Website
The easier it is to leave a review, the more likely your customers will do so. Of course, that sounds rather obvious, but too many businesses really do very little, if anything, to make the process of writing reviews that much easier for their customers.
Actually, most people do not write reviews because they do not want to invest time in learning how to write them. Even if they know how, it is a broad perception that writing reviews is an unnecessary burden that one can well avoid.
Make leaving a review for your customer as easy as possible. The website should have easy-to-read call-to-action buttons and even some unobtrusive pop-ups that will redirect them to your Yelp or Google Business Profile review webpage.
In this case, you may want to try using a direct link generator tool like Supple with CamRojud to create a unique link to Google reviews for your business. You can then send it via email to your customers. With one click, it will bring them directly into the review section of your Google Business Profile, where they can easily write and submit their reviews.
Avoid making customers jump through hoops to get to some review-writing feature. Nobody’s going to do this, so just make it as easy as possible.
Let’s Leverage Social Media
Use your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram business pages to your advantage by asking specific questions about your business’s performance. Take active followers and request that they review your business on whatever review platform they choose.
For instance, if your business is a restaurant, you might ask casually what was once an offered menu item that your followers miss. Then, you can ask customers to mention the item in their reviews as a “vote” to bring it back.
By using this technique, you allow customers to tell nice stories via reviews and simultaneously ramp up the social media activity of your brand.
Provide Considerate Responses to Every Review
Take the responsibility to respond to all reviews of your business, regardless of how busy you may be. While it’s important to avoid sounding robotic as a brand, even a simple and timely “thank you” can serve as an encouragement for customers to continue their association with your business.
It’s crucial that your responses are personalized and crafted in a unique manner. When people observe that you address every review, whether positive or negative, it conveys that your business genuinely values customer feedback. This, in turn, incentivizes new customers to share their own experiences.
Furthermore, don’t be disheartened by negative reviews, as they contribute to the authenticity of your brand. If all the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, it may raise suspicions. Hence, negative reviews play a role in establishing trust.
Here are some guidelines to follow when responding to negative reviews:
- Respond as promptly as possible.
- Acknowledge any mistakes made.
- Express your perspective respectfully.
- Provide a genuine and personal apology, even if you believe it’s not entirely your fault.
- Offer an immediate resolution or compensation, such as a refund or voucher.
- Suggest taking the conversation offline if the situation becomes difficult to manage.
View negative reviews as an opportunity to improve your business and demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Revisit your strategies and address the root cause of the problem. Adhere to the golden rule of responding to reviews: always respond and never respond harshly.
Exceed Customer Expectations by Delivering an Outstanding Experience
The in-store experience of your customers plays a crucial role in influencing the quantity and quality of reviews you receive.
When customers are genuinely impressed with your product, service, or the overall experience they had, they will feel compelled to share their feedback through reviews.
By consistently delighting customers and surpassing their expectations, you create a foundation for generating more positive and high-quality reviews.
Therefore, if you prioritize delivering the utmost customer satisfaction and strive to provide the best possible experience, you can be confident that your efforts will yield fruitful results.
Find Reviews for Your Business
If you have already been actively seeking, monitoring, and responding to your reviews, congratulations! You are already ahead in the game. However, if you haven’t, now is the perfect time to start. The first step is to discover what your customers are already saying about your business. This involves checking the top review platforms where your online reputation is likely to be influenced.
For most businesses, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook are significant platforms to consider. Additionally, depending on your industry, there may be specific review sites that are relevant to your field.
For instance, Capterra is a renowned software review site, while TripAdvisor specializes in tracking hotel experiences.
The trajectory of your business can be significantly impacted by online reviews
Online reviews serve as a valuable tool for staying informed about the state of your business, collecting feedback, and growing your customer base. This applies to both positive and negative reviews. Positive reviews showcase the excellence of your business and persuade potential customers to choose your services or products.
Negative reviews, on the other hand, present an opportunity for you to take responsibility, address any shortcomings, and transform negative experiences into positive ones.
Online reviews are crucial for the success of any business, particularly at the local level. By recounting real interactions with your business, they offer potential and existing customers a glimpse into your operations and provide an authentic perspective that can’t be found elsewhere.
