Using social media to advertise your business can be a most powerful tool and can also be the difference between increasing your sales or going out of business. Thanks to sites like Google, Yelp, Foursquare, and Facebook, 90% of people’s buying decisions are influenced by reviews on these sites and more. When you aren’t asking for and getting these reviews, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to increase your brand awareness and sales.
When you publish your customers’ opinions, you persuade new customers to visit your site, boost your site’s SEO, and increase web traffic. Reviews are one of the most important factors when it comes to ranking higher in search engine results.
If you’re struggling with asking for reviews and getting customers to leave them, here are 5 ways you can accomplish this goal and start seeing your business climb the rankings.
1. Just Ask For a Review
This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many businesses don’t ask for a review after a sale. Train yourself and your employees to ask for a review after every transaction. You can even put a request on the bottom of a receipt or invoice. You know you’ve got the best products, best prices, and best customer service. Ask your customer to leave a review attesting to that fact. In your sale confirmation or delivery-receipt email, include a link to leave a review. Even include an incentive for doing so in the form of a coupon code or discount available only for leaving a review on your site.
When you make this request, you’ll be surprised that most customers are happy to leave one. This reinforces that you value your customer’s loyalty and that you want to make sure that your service is consistent and high-quality.
2. Make It Easy
You want to make it quick and painless to get reviews from your customers. Create links in your blogs, social media pages and posts, and emails to direct a customer straight to the review link you’d like them to use. It shows that you not only care about their opinion, but you value their time too! These links should be optimized for mobile to allow your customers to leave feedback at their convenience. If someone has to wait to get home to leave a review, they won’t.
When it comes to your website or social media, feature the best-of-the-best reviews prominently, and reinforce that you appreciate your customers. By making it easy to leave a review, you’ll get more, and your rankings on search engine results pages will improve, drawing more new customers to your business in turn.
3. Engage With Existing Reviewers
Positive feedback doesn’t end with a great review. Follow up with customers who went above and beyond to review your business or service. Most companies respond to bad reviews with an apology or explanation, trying to recover a sale, but how do you thank a customer for a good one? One great way is to send a personalized postcard or thank you card if you know their mailing address. Send them a customized thank you email with a bounceback offer, even (more about that later).
Use your social media to boost your connection. If they’re another business, link to their page and describe how you worked together to solve a problem. By thanking your current reviewers, you’ll increase visibility and draw more customers into your business or to your website.
4. Create Incentives
You know your customers are busy, so give them a reason to leave a review. A simple free sample or discount for your services encourages business, and the customer will want to leave a review. You can even create a contest for a bigger prize like gift cards, online shopping discounts, or even cash.
Post your incentives and the client who received them in your social media posts, a banner on your website, or even a photo on your business wall. Other customers and potential customers will see that you reward repeat customers, read their reviews, and are more likely to purchase your goods and services.
5. Follow Up On Review Requests
Keep a list of customers who you’ve asked for a review and follow up with them. We all get busy. A gentle reminder email or phone call can go a long way to encourage them to leave the review. Highlight how easy it is, send a link, or even take one by phone and enter it yourself.
When you follow up, it does more than get you a review. It gives you time to ask about their previous experience with you, what you could do better, and let them know you genuinely care about their business.
Let KangoMedia Handle Your Review Process
The truth is: Your customers are reading what others say about you online on websites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp. KangoMedia helps you get more 5-star reviews with our Review Management system. We even help you respond to reviews in real-time, letting your customers and clients know you care about their experience, thank them for a positive review, and address negative reviews and give your all for their satisfaction.
Want to know more? Schedule your free online or phone consultation with KangoMedia today!