Customer reviews are a powerful form of social proof; the vast majority of consumers trust reviews to tell them about a product’s pros and cons before making a purchase. Peer opinion has the power to build trust much faster and more effectively than anything you can say as a business—and equal power to tear it down.
Since reviews can be so impactful, it’s important to put effort into your business’s reviews. Here are five tips you can use to get great reviews and boost your sales:
Tip 1: Ask for Reviews
This one is simple. Don’t just sit back and wait for reviews; ask for them! You can do this in a number of ways, including a form on your website, a sign with a QR code at your business, a post on social media, or emails to customers.
For requests by email, timing is important! If you’re asking for a review after a purchase, for example, consider how long someone might need to fully experience the product. You can also consider sending a request once people buy from you a second time, or when they refer a new customer. Look at your customer journey map to determine the best time.
Tip 2: Utilize Multiple Platforms
Enabling reviews on your website is important, but you should offer other platforms for customer reviews, too! If you have multiple social media accounts, that’s a good start. You can also invite people to leave reviews on general platforms like Google or Yelp, or industry-specific platforms like Tripadvisor or OpenTable. The more options the better, as people are more likely to leave a review if they don’t have to make a new account or download a new app!
Tip 3: Incentivize Reviews
If you’re not getting as many reviews as you want, try offering an incentive. At your business, you might offer a keychain or a free drink for a review. Online, you might offer a discount or a chance to win a contest. Make sure you reward any honest review; setting additional conditions on the review (like requiring 5-star reviews) could make people distrust your business.
Tip 4: Respond Carefully to Reviews
How you respond to reviews is crucial. Responding to an angry customer with professionalism, kindness, and a potential solution may actually win you customers, regardless of the situation surrounding the review. Responding to a customer with anger will likely lose you customers, even if you haven’t done anything wrong. Giving a quick “thank you” to positive reviews may also encourage others to leave reviews.
Tip 5: Make the Most of Your Reviews
Once you have a decent number of positive reviews, make sure you put them to use! Your reviews should be published on your website—usually on your homepage, product pages, or a separate testimonial page. You can also highlight reviews in social media posts, emails, and ads. Your reviews can’t convince people to buy your product or service if they’re not seen!
Get Started Today
We hope these tips help you get more positive customer reviews! Remember: reviews mean a lot to today’s customers, so it’s worth the effort to make this part of your digital marketing strategy.
If you’d like help with your customer review strategy, 2XM is here. Contact us for a FREE 60 minute consultation today!