When it comes to generating new business, every great marketer who has ever lived knows that word-of-mouth advertising reigns supreme. When potential consumers or clients hear the thoughts of those who have already done business with you, it develops a perception and influences decision-making in ways that traditional advertising cannot.
Customer reviews are the new word of mouth in today’s digital environment. People seek them out, learn from them, and frequently use them to make purchasing decisions. Positive evaluations of a firm’s products or services can quickly spread and lead to a surge in sales, whilst unfavourable reviews can restrict sales and force a company to rethink its strategy.
Fortunately, earning great customer reviews entails more than simply putting your products and services out there and hoping for the best. You can employ certain strategies to ensure that consumers are happy and willing to submit a favourable review for others to see.
Why People Look at Online Reviews
There are four common reasons why someone may look for an internet review:
- Customers who have utilized the product or service to provide social proof
- To gain a better understanding of the thing they are purchasing
- To lessen the chances of making a bad purchase
- To gain a better understanding of the product’s advantages and drawbacks
Naturally, any company wants to gain positive feedback and use it to drive sales and expand their brand online. Here are five strategies for obtaining positive client feedback:
1. Ask for Reviews Across a Range of Platforms
Making it as simple as possible for individuals to post positive internet evaluations is the first step. The more work required, the less likely it is that someone will devote the time necessary to leave the review you desire. Social media and third-party review sites are excellent tools for spreading the word about your business and its products and services.
The following are a few of the most effective:
- Recommendations on LinkedIn
- Facebook Page for Business
- Manta
- Create videos on YouTube and ask for feedback in the comments section.
- Using Google My Business is a great way to start.
- Claim or list your company on Yelp to begin receiving reviews.
- Yellowpages is the digital version of the legendary listings book, similar to Yelp.
- Four Square is a platform for hospitality brands.
- If your company is based in the United States, Canada, or Mexico, you can register with the Better Business Bureau.
There are also a variety of specialist review sites that, depending on your sector, may be beneficial in evoking positive consumer feedback. Trip Advisor in the travel niche or, as previously indicated, Four Square in the hospitality sector are two examples. The key to all of these platforms is to keep things simple and ask for feedback so that your visitors are clear on what you want them to accomplish.
Also read: Impact of social media marketing on consumer buying behaviour
2. Make the Most of Your Website
Your own website is an excellent resource for obtaining positive consumer feedback. Visitors should be able to leave comments fast and simply on your website pages and blog articles. You should also make sure your website is mobile-friendly and provide a clear path to all of your social media outlets.
If you run an e-commerce site, you might want to add a live chat CHECK option so that you can get immediate feedback from clients. This will fulfil people’s “I want everything now” mentality while also adding value by shortening response times and improving customer service.
3. Solicit Reviews in Your Emails
If inbound marketing is a part of your strategy, you’ll have an excellent platform to solicit feedback from customers. Send a quick email after a purchase asking for a review as part of your customer marketing strategy. Because individuals believe they are interacting with you one-on-one, you will receive the most honest feedback possible. If you discover a bad pattern in the responses, this will assist you to enhance sales or making the necessary adjustments.
Consider including a link to an online survey instead of asking for a review and forcing them to submit their opinions. Polls and surveys are simple to set up, and the results may be examined quickly. With a survey, you have complete control over the information collected, allowing you to discover more about your clients.
4. Incentivize the Review Process
Consider adding incentives to the process if you’re not obtaining the number of reviews you’d want or just like the notion of rewarding your consumers. Give them a reason to leave a review because they believe their time is worthwhile. Discounts, coupons, gift cards, and entry into contests should motivate individuals, and they may even increase your sales when they return to shop.
Birchbox, for example, offers loyalty-based Birch Points to encourage users to post reviews. Since 2010, the company has evolved from a small beauty goods startup to the world’s sixth most popular subscription service, thanks in large part to loyalty-based review incentives.
5. Work on Your Timing
When you ask for feedback at the correct moment, you’ll get more out of the process while also improving your customer service. Timing is crucial in any situation, whether it’s on social media, your own website, or an email. The last thing you want is to get under someone’s skin at an inopportune time and wind up with a poor review that will be seen by others.
After a client has had a positive interaction with your business, after they re-order a product, if they tag your company or product on social media, if they spend a certain amount of time exploring your website, or if they suggest new consumers to you, these are all perfect opportunities to ask for a review. The aim is to contact them when they are satisfied or fulfilled in order for them to convey that experience in the review.
Final Thoughts
There is no ideal formula for earning great customer reviews, but if you use the strategies described above, you’ll have a better chance of succeeding. If you want to prioritize reviews, make sure you assign the assignment to specific team members and give them enough time to do it. Once you’ve devised a strategy, put it into action and keep moving forward until you’ve developed a multi-faceted approach to obtaining feedback from a variety of sources.