Simple Tips to Get More Customer Reviews

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Simple Tips to Get More Customer Reviews

Do you know how important customer reviews are to your business? It doesn’t matter whether you are exclusively a brick-and-mortar store or if you only do business online, testimonials from customers can make or break you.

We’ve all done it. We go online and search out a business, maybe to find the address or phone number, but then we also see their ratings. More likely than not, your decision to visit a business will be influenced by the reviews that you read.

In fact, 85% of customers trust online reviews the same as they would a recommendation from a friend. If you have more negative reviews than positive ones, you will lose out because of it.

A common problem for companies is that they simply don’t have enough reviews at all. Or only those who have had a negative experience leave a review, while those who have had a great experience don’t even think about it. If this is you, keep reading below for some simple tips to get customers to leave more reviews.

You Must Ask

The most important thing you can do is to remember to ask. If you don’t ask your customer to leave a testimonial, it’s highly unlikely they will remember to do so on their own. Customers that have had a positive experience are usually more than happy to leave a review if they are given a reminder.

Use a Business Card

When you meet with a customer and have created a relationship with them, that’s a great opportunity to ask for a review, especially if the interaction went well. You can simply ask, but you can also use a business card. Make sure your name is on the card as well as links or URLs where your customer can go to leave their testimonial. This is a tangible reminder so the customer won’t forget as soon as they get home.

Employ Email and/or Text

While the best thing you can do is ask in person, another way you can ask someone to leave a testimonial is through email or text. This is a great option when you don’t actually spend face time with a customer.

Keep your email friendly and encouraging and make sure you include a link to where they can leave the review, whether that’s on your website, social media pages, or Google.

Collect Written Reviews

Some customers won’t want to write an online review, but you can still use their testimonials. Ask them to handwrite a review and leave it with you. You can then type up these reviews and add them to your website.

Generating More Customer Reviews

While there are many different ways to ask for more customer reviews, you need to use the one that best fits your business. For some, all of the above tips will be useful. For others, maybe only one will work. No matter which tips you use, make sure to remember these key elements.

Don’t assume people will just leave reviews. Remember that you have to ask for them!
Ask for the review as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less likely it will happen.
Don’t delete negative reviews because this will make customers angrier than before.
Make sure you give the customer a great experience that will generate a positive review.

What other strategies or tips do you use to get more customer reviews?