As the world moves increasingly towards the online realm, online reviews have become a critical aspect of promoting your business and attracting new customers. According to a study conducted in 2018, 86% of customers read online reviews before making purchasing decisions. Positive reviews create positive perceptions of your brand, whereas negative reviews can have a lasting impact on your reputation. It's why getting more online reviews is essential for businesses of all sizes. Here are the essential steps to get more online reviews by outreach:
Identify the Platform to Focus On
Before reaching out to customers for reviews, it is important to identify the platforms to focus on. Yelp, Google My Business, Angie's List, and Facebook are popular platforms that businesses can use to request customer feedback. Prioritize the platform that your target audience is most likely to use. For example, if you're a restaurant, you may want to focus more on Yelp or Google My Business.
Encourage Positive Reviews
One effective way of encouraging positive reviews is to ask satisfied customers to leave reviews. Happy customers are less likely to leave critical reviews compared to unhappy customers, making it essential to encourage positive reviews. Asking for reviews on your website, in-store signs, or in follow-up emails can go a long way in encouraging customers to leave positive reviews.
Make Reviewing Your Business Easy
The ease of reviewing your business is critically important when it comes to getting more online reviews. Make it as simple as possible for customers to leave a review. Send them a link to the review page or provide the link on your website and social media channels. By making the review process easy, you increase the chances of customers leaving a review.
Personalize Your Outreach Efforts
Personalized outreach can help build better relationships with customers and shows that you value their feedback. Personalizing your outreach efforts can start by thanking them for their business and emphasizing that their feedback matters to you. Create survey questions specific to their latest interactions with your business, giving the customer a way to voice their personal experience.
Utilize Follow-up Emails to Request Reviews
Businesses can send follow-up emails to customers asking for reviews. Timing is everything, so it's important to send these emails consistently. Timing-wise, it's best to send follow-up emails within the first 24-48 hours after a customer has done business with your company. Make sure you are not sending too many follow-up emails, as this could seem pestering.
Respond to Reviews
Whether the reviews are positive or negative, responding to reviews can help businesses get more online reviews. Responding to negative reviews can help mitigate reputational damage while responding to positive reviews shows that you appreciate the customer's feedback. By responding to reviews, you're also enhancing customer engagement, which can build stronger relationships with your customers.
Use Incentives or Competitions
Incentives or competitions can encourage customers to leave online reviews. For example, you may offer discounts, small incentives, a chance to enter a raffle or a small credit for future purchases. Offering incentives or contests can incentivize customers to leave a review, increase the likelihood of a positive review, and boost your online reputation.
Respond Professionally to Negative Reviews
Negative reviews have the potential to damage your business reputation. However, responding promptly and professionally to negative reviews can mitigate this damage. Negative reviews provide businesses with a valuable opportunity to listen to customer feedback, improve their products or services, and demonstrate that they care about their customers' experiences and satisfaction.
In conclusion, getting more online reviews takes a little effort - however, the payoff is significant. By following these steps, businesses can create a positive perception of their brand, attract more customers, and ensure long-term growth and success. Remember, consistency and personalization in your outreach efforts are key, and be sure to respond to all customers, even the unhappy ones. Positive online reviews can be the difference between being just another business or one that stands out in an ever-growing competitive landscape
No comments yet