Customer reviews are a hot topic, and rightfully so. According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2022, 98% of respondents said they read online reviews for local businesses.
Not only do reviews provide some measure of confidence to your prospects, but they also directly affect your search results on almost any platform that accepts reviews. The more reviews you have, the more likely you appear near the top of the list when people seek a product or service similar to yours.
However, the process of getting positive reviews can be an arduous task. There are several factors to consider. When do you ask your customers for a review? And how do you make it easier for them to follow through?
We decided it was time to look at ways to simplify the process of getting reviews. Here’s part one of our two-part series for how to get positive reviews in the right places.
When and How To Ask For a Review
It all begins and ends with providing stellar service and quality product. If you maintain that standard, you’ll rarely have a problem getting a great review or recommendation.
We always recommend asking for a review in person. It’s much harder for people to say no when you’re face to face. There are three times we recommend that you ask for reviews:
- Immediately after the customer pays you a compliment. You don’t have to wait to complete the transaction to get a great review. When someone says, “I really appreciate how thoroughly you explain things to us,” respond with, “I’m glad you appreciate that! Would you be kind enough to say that on camera? It would really help other potential customers learn more about my business!”
- Any time you know you have gone above and beyond. You know the pendulum is swinging in your favor, so take advantage of it. Say something like, “We’ve accomplished a lot together this week. I do my best work when I have a customer like you who appreciates it, so thank you. Would you consider saying a few nice things about me?”
- At the end of a project or session. It’s an excellent time to ask for reviews when the experience is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Of course, you want to ensure that your customers were happy throughout the process and found the time spent with you valuable. If they are, asking for a review then allows them to say all the wonderful things they experienced. If the experience was a bit rocky, it’s a good time to ask for feedback. That lets customers know you value their thoughts and will use their feedback for improvement. In fact, 80% of people surveyed in BrightLocal’s Survey said they would be ‘likely’ or ‘highly likely’ to leave a review if a negative experience was turned into a positive one.
Make It Easy
When you ask for a review, take it upon yourself to execute as much of the task on your customer’s behalf. Make the process as easy as possible for them by providing templates or including a direct link to your review platform when reaching out to them.
We highly recommend video reviews whenever possible, which are quick and easy to capture on your phone. Almost 5 billion videos are viewed on YouTube daily, and the SEO benefits of video are fantastic as well.
You can also easily transcribe the video using Youtube’s feature and send the transcription to your customers via email or text, with a link to Google Reviews. All they have to do is copy, paste, and submit.
It helps to guide your customers through what you’d like them to say. Most people respond like a deer in headlights when you ask for a review or recommendation, mainly because they don’t know where to start. Ask questions to elicit the response you want, such as:
- “Tell me what you liked most about my response time and frequent updates.”
- “What would you say about my knowledge of the industry and the experience working with me?”
And don’t forget to integrate your personal brand into the mix! Reviews and testimonials are great ways to include your brand and tagline to generate awareness and interest. After a while, these catchphrases will infuse your brand into your marketing and help you stay top of mind for all the right reasons.
The Takeaway
The key to getting consistent reviews with maximum leverage is to put a system in place, so it becomes second nature. Don’t let it be an afterthought. Ask for reviews throughout the process, execute on your customer’s behalf as much as possible, and lead them to mention your brand in their comments. But most of all, keep your brand strong by over-delivering every day.
Need a brand for your business that customers can rave about in their reviews? Discuss your brand with us today and start increasing brand awareness through your reviews.
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BrandFace® is a personal branding firm for entrepreneurs and experts who want to STAND OUT from their competition and attract their ideal customers so they can become recognized and sought after authorities in their space. Tonya Eberhart & Michael Carr are the partners behind BrandFace. Their mantra is, “People don’t do business with a logo. They do business with a person.”