Reviews. Testimonials. Where shall we begin? This process has its up’s and down’s. In the world of business all your actions and services are duly noted. Clients are the spectacles of your company. Reviews have the potential to make or break the potential clients when deciding between similar services. Yes, mistakes happen and maybe there was just a customer who was not pleased, but they have the power to influence others. People tend to always look at reviews as a deciding factor. When it comes to local reviews, it is seen as an extension of word of mouth marketing. Online reviews are permanent thoughts of consumers about your business, similarly to social media.  Reviews are imperative for growth and some services such as Yelp may not always account for them. Make sure to not incentivize clients to give reviews. Now how do you go about getting those reviews?

Influence, don’t force

You should never force your customers to leave reviews, but rather influence them. Make them want to rave about how awesome your company is. Offer exceptional and authentic services and good things shall come. Influence your clients with communication.  Now this is a long time investment that will allow your company to succeed. In today’s world individuals are avid Yelp users, meaning people want to know what to expect before committing. Land those positive reviews from the start.  Another key way to get reviews is by making it easy for clients to reach your sites. When dealing with customers in person, give out business cards that list all your active URL sites. This allows them to easily locate places on where they can leave reviews. Another helpful tip is placing a feedback form on your website. By doing this you are able to post a status update on how customers are reacting to your services. Existing and new viewers will see the posts and learn how pleased customers are with your services and company as a whole.

How to ask for reviews (without) incentivizing  

  • Next time a customer gives you a compliment whether it may be over email, the phone or in person, simply ask them to leave the same feedback on your online review profile.
  • If you send out monthly newsletters to your customers, leave a link for them to write a review on your Google + profile.
  • Add links to your online profiles where customers can easily leave a review.
  • Use your social media! Many of your customers are active users and don’t need to create an account to leave a review. Facebook Pages and other sites offer them the place to leave their feedback.

Take advantage of social media

When active on social media, make sure that you are constantly mentioning your successes. Not just reviews, but for engagement. This parallels with one another, once you have created solid engagement, you will gain reviews.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Where do you get the most involvement?
  • Where do your competitors see more engagement?

Once you have listed out what social media platforms work best for your company, take action. Plan out regular posts to maintain online presence and truly allow your engagement to evolve.

How to use reviews & testimonials

Once you have acquired your reviews, it’s time to take advantage of them. Here are some simple ways to use existing reviews to encourage more:

  • Manage negative reviews the right way. Make sure to account for bad reviews and answer the response immediately in a positive tone. Show them that you are willing to work through their issue to show your dedication to phenomenal customer service.
  • Ask those who have reviewed you previously, to do so on other sites to gain recognition from other platforms.
  • Feature positive reviews on your social media handles and website. This allows for outside viewers to make note of your accomplishments.

Encouraging more positive online reviews plays a huge role in the success of your business. By keeping a positive reputation, you are guaranteed to maintain and acquire new customers.

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