Question: Who do you think customers are more likely to trust when it comes to buying? Their fellow peers, of course!
Customer reviews and testimonials are more important than ever, with many of them considering a review as a reliable source of information.
In fact, in a consumer review survey conducted by Bright Local, it was uncovered that 86% of local consumers consult on average seven reviews before making the leap.
Read on to discover ways to get your customers to write reviews and drive new customers to your business.
Ask for a Review
Sometimes it’s a concept so simple that it gets dismissed. For customer-facing businesses, don’t underestimate the power of asking for a review after an exchange. The thing is to know when to ask.
While you’re both riding the high of building rapport, casually mention, “Hey, if you enjoyed my service today, it’d be awesome if you could leave a review and let others know.” If customer-facing is more phone driven, try including the link to review in your email signature or setting up an automation to trigger within the next 24 hours.
Promote the Reviews You Already Have
Remember how excited you were to show off your good grades as a kid? Do the same with the positive reviews you receive from satisfied customers! This creates multiple chances to influence potential customers (think social media, your website, or print) while they’re engaged in self-guided research.
Make it Easy (And Fun)
We, humans, love things convenient and it doesn’t hurt to throw in some fun. Adopt tactics like making a contest out of customer participation and even having them vote on the prize a random reviewer will receive.
Another idea is to make it mobile. Your customers can’t live without their devices, so sending them a text or email with a link to share their experiences using Kicksite’s General Announcement or Message Flow features can be a sure-fire way to reel them in. You can also have tent cards at the front desk to fill out your survey digitally if you have a tablet to spare.
Make it Snappy
Nothing earns an eye-roll faster than a long survey, especially when they promised it would be quick. Time is precious and attention spans are short, so make the most of those moments. Keep your survey between 3-to-5 questions at most. This weeds out filler questions and gets to the meat of things.
Popular CRM software company Hubspot suggests resisting the urge to add a lot of photos and different kinds of type. They found that simplicity was key, with customers being more likely to fill out a review when it was in a plain text email format.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Some may frown upon it, but we see it as a smart engagement tactic. Businesses often stress how much they value customer feedback, so instead of just telling them, why not show them how thankful you are?
Display your appreciation with a free drink or snack, surprise freebie or discount code for money off their next purchase when they submit an honest review, as Forbes encourages in their article about online reviews.
Engage with the feedback you receive
No one wants to feel like they’re just a number. When you receive a review, follow up with your customer. If it’s a positive review, opt for a personalized thank you expressing your gratitude, and if it’s a negative review, reach out by phone or email (whichever is available) and get more detail about their experience.
Your follow up lets your customers know that you hear them, which increases the likelihood of others hearing about your engagement and your business.
Tip: Don’t get discouraged if there are negative reviews; constructive criticism is an excellent tool for growth but also builds credibility (when’s the last time you trusted a business with only 5-star reviews?).
Summary
Sure, getting your customers on board with writing reviews can sometimes take skill, but in the end, it’s totally worth it; proving to be one of the key ways to not only spread the word about the awesome things you offer but also growing your business.