Introduction
Business success depends on many factors, including reputation. This blog explores the importance of Customer Reviews.
The lifeblood of any business is its customers. Without them, there would be no business. Successful businesses work hard to make sure their customers have access to good quality products, at the right price followed up with excellent customer service.
However, very often they don’t look for customer reviews which would provide an incredible opportunity to build trust and credibility with their audience.
Here, we share our top tips to help you to get and make the most out of your customer reviews so that they continue to contribute to the growth of your business.
Why your business needs customer reviews
Positive client reviews demonstrate a commitment to good customer service.
We all check out reviews before parting with our hard-earned money. Whether it is for a service offering, a product or a meal out we feel more secure in engaging with a business that has been endorsed by others.
As a result, businesses with a steady stream of positive reviews will immediately improve their chances of being found and contacted by their ideal customer.
Google reviews can boost our SEO efforts
Google likes reviews!
Once a business has verified its Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) it can accept reviews.
A Whitespark survey points out the importance of reviews to Google Business Profile conversions i.e. clicks, calls, etc.
Review characteristics deemed most important are listed below with the first 2 being the overall top factors for Google Business Profile conversions.
- High Star Ratings
- Positive Sentiment in Review Text
- Quantity of Google Reviews
- Recency of Reviews
- Presence of Owner Responses to Reviews
- Quantity of Positive Review Attributes
Search engines look for a number of signals when returning results. Local searches rely on proximity, relevancy, and also trustworthiness.
Customer Reviews are a win-win for your business
We all love receiving 5
reviews but all is not lost if you receive some negative reviews.
The most important response is to act quickly.
A considered response shows that you’re listening and in the case of a negative review that you are taking the issue seriously.
Negative reviews can also give you a heads-up on problems that you may not be aware of. E.g.
- Phone not being answered promptly
- Poor telephone manner
- Not listening properly to the inquiry
This is an opportunity to identify trends and possible improvements.
If you want to run a ruler over your customer service, check out our “Leaky Bucket Blog” blog to make sure your customers become your best brand ambassadors.
Reviews build trust. They demonstrate that you care about the quality of your service and give customers an opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction as well as their praise.
How to get people to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile
You have to ASK for reviews
Every business should have a review strategy. It should be built into your sales process bearing in mind that you ask at the right time, ideally when the transaction is complete and the customer is happy.
Make it easy
Google provides every Google Business Profile (Google My Business) account with a unique review link. This link should be included in the request for review.
Ways to get reviews and make the most of them
- Invoice: Include a sentence requesting a review on your invoice with the clickable link.
- Thank you note: Send customers a thank you note asking for a review and including the review link.
- Include a recent review: Sometimes customers can’t think what to write and then give up. Including an example of a review makes it much easier for them.
- Reciprocate: Take the trouble to leave a review or Linkedin recommendation for the person or company you are dealing with.
- Share your reviews: Positive reviews are a reward for your hard work and deserve to be celebrated. Share them on your online platforms like social media and website as well as company and marketing materials.
Keep your Google Business Profile current so your reviews get the attention they deserve.
Conclusion
Some businesses worry that a negative review could impact their business but as we have explained that is not necessarily the case. As well as responding to a negative review, having a review system in place ensures a regular flow of good reviews which will dilute the effect of a low score.
B2B clients are typically investing more in a product or service and therefore are influenced by the opinions of their colleagues, peers, and trusted sources.
Positive reviews build trust and can be used as a cost-effective marketing tool to help your business reach more customers and fuel future growth.
Don’t delay – put your review acquisition plan in play today.
Need help – Avail of our FREE 15-minute marketing consultation.