Chances are you’re not the only retailer in your industry. And your business is being judged alongside other online businesses by potential customers and search engines. Getting great customer reviews on Google+ Local, Yelp and other review services can give your company a huge advantage.
Why are online customer reviews so important?
70% of consumers consult online reviews before purchasing. And positive online reviews can boost your search engine rankings as well.
Both search engines and customers are looking at your reviews to determine how you match up against the competition. Great online reviews benefit your business by:
– Building trust with potential customers.
– Allowing and encouraging customer feedback and relationships between customers and your brand.
– Signaling to search engines that your products are popular and high-quality – Boosting local search rankings for your business’s physical location(s).
Online customer reviews are a powerful tool many businesses do not effectively utilize when looking for a way to boost sales online.
Seven tips for earning killer online customer reviews
1. Make writing a review easy
Do not expect customers to search for ways to leave your company a review (unless they have something negative to say). Make it as easy as possible for your customers to add a review. Having direct links to your review profiles in multiple places is a good way to go.
You never know exactly when a customer will want to review their experience with your company. Don’t miss those opportunities when they present themselves. Once a customer is ready to write their review, don’t make them sign up for a profile on your site first. You can collect their information while allowing them to leave their comment in one step.
2. Ask for a review at the right time
Why ask for a review right after a customer completes an online transaction? The customer won’t have much to review if they haven’t received their product yet. Wait a few days until your customer receives their purchase, then send a follow-up email. The follow-up email can be a thank you for purchasing message with a prompt for a review at the end.
3. Be careful when offering incentives
Offering incentives can often produce less than whole-hearted reviews. Don’t let customers leave a review just so they can receive a promotional discount or giveaway.
It is not very difficult to distinguish between an incentive-driven review and a review where a customer shared a genuine product evaluation. By not offering incentives, your review profile can achieve sincere comments from customers.
4. Ask a loyal customer
If you are having trouble getting your customer review profile rolling, don’t be afraid to reach out to a former customer who you may have developed a partnership with over time. Especially in the beginning stages of your reviews profile, customers may be hesitant to leave the first reviewnobody wants to be the first person dancing at a party.
Reach out and personally asking a handful of loyal customers to create a strong base of positive reviews. You should stagger these personal review requestsit will look strange to potential customers (and the search engines) if you have four or five great reviews left on the same day after just starting your profile.
5.Turn a negative into a positive
The likelihood of your company fully utilizing a reviews profile and not receiving a single negative review is unlikely. Negative reviews happen. Don’t panic when they do. Take a negative review as an opportunity to create a positive customer experience.
Publicly respond to the negative review, then personally reach out to the customer and try to turn their negative experience into a positive one. It is not uncommon to see that same reviewer then post a positive review. By going through this process it shows that you actually pay attention to your reviews, reach out to your customer base, and provide service to unsatisfied customers which can be reassuring for prospective customers.
6. Provide review options
Do not just have one or two places online for customers to review your business. Utilizing a large selection of review sites will help expand your reach when customers are looking to leave a review. Claiming your Google+ Local, Yahoo Local, and Yelp listings is a must when looking to jump start your customer review online portfolio.
7. Continue to engage your customer base
It may become a time-consuming task to regularly monitor multiple review profiles. However, engaging with your customers through their reviews can grow loyalty and repeat business. We already touched on what to do with negative reviews, but do not ignore the positive ones either. Thank your customers when they help you out. Remember, a simple comment may go a long way for current and prospective customers alike.
Author: Chad Kearns
Courtesy of www.portent.com
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