One of the best ways to strengthen your customer's trust in your business and products is through online reviews. A study revealed that 89% of consumers read reviews before purchasing products, underscoring the importance of collecting reviews.
Here are some simple strategies to get more reviews for your business.
Method 1: Ask for a Review
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to gather reviews. Consider every customer interaction as an opportunity to build trust and request a review at the end of your engagement.
Our Tips:
Encourage Employees to Ask for Reviews: Motivate your employees to ask for reviews after each customer interaction. To make it fun, consider a contest: the employee whose name is mentioned in the most positive reviews at the end of the month wins a prize.
Add a “Review Us” Link to Digital Receipts or Invoices: Most POS systems and invoice tools allow you to add custom links. Include a link to your preferred review platform, such as Google Business Profile (GBP), Facebook, or Yelp.
Display Signs with QR Codes: Place signs with QR codes throughout your business that link to your GBP listing. QR codes are simple to create, and most cell phones can scan them easily by pointing the camera at the code.
Implementing these strategies can help you collect valuable customer feedback and enhance your online presence.
Method 2: Make It Easy to Leave a Review on Your Website
Your website is the "digital home" of your business. By adding links to your Google or Facebook listings, you can transform your website into a powerful review generation tool. (Please note that these tips may require the assistance of a developer.)
Our Tips:
Add "Review Us" Links to Your Location Page(s): Log in to your GBP or Facebook account and copy the link to your listing. For Google, it should look like https://g.page/businessname?gm. For Facebook, it should look like https://www.facebook.com/yourb.... Once you have these links, add "Review us on Google" and "Review us on Facebook" buttons to your location or about page. (Developer assistance might be required.)
Add a "Review Us" Link to Your Website's Footer: By placing a "Review Us" link in your website's footer, it will be easily accessible to customers no matter which page they are on.
Integrate Stratus reviews onto Your Website: Utilize an existing Stratus plugin to easily pull your online reviews directly onto your website.
Implementing these changes can streamline the process for customers to leave reviews, boosting your online reputation and visibility.
Method 3: Use a Review Platform to Send an Email or SMS
Review management platforms can help you manage and respond to reviews more efficiently. Some platforms, like Stratus, even facilitate review generation by sending emails or text messages to your customers, asking them to review your business.
Our Tips:
Schedule a Time to Message Your Customers: According to a study by reputation.com, the best time to ask customers for a review is "immediately or soon after they complete a purchase or you've provided a service." If this isn't possible, choose a specific day each week to send out review requests to the previous week's customers.
Add a Personalized Message in the Email or SMS: When asking for a review via email or text, personalize the message. At a minimum, include the customer's name and thank them for their business.
Utilize Platforms like Stratus for Efficiency: While manually emailing or texting customers can be effective, platforms like Stratus streamline the process. Our Review Invites feature allows you to send emails or text messages to up to 50 customers per campaign, making it easier to manage and track your review requests.
Method 4: Use Social Media to Generate Reviews
Social media platforms are excellent tools for building brand awareness and generating reviews. They also help build trust and confidence with your customers.
Our Tips:
Post Testimonials and Ask for Reviews: According to Nielsen research, “92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer, and 70% will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know.” Start by posting an image with the text of a testimonial on your social media platforms. In the description, ask customers to leave a review, and include the link to your GBP or social channels.
Direct Message Customers Who Post About Your Product or Services: When loyal customers post about your products or services on their feed, it’s a great opportunity to engage with them. Send a personalized thank you via direct message, and kindly ask for a review. Include the link to your GBP or Facebook page in the message.
Start with Stratus
Do you have a ton of reviews and don’t know where to begin? Maybe you're looking to generate more reviews? The review management features within Stratus can make replying to reviews fun and easy. Gain insights about how you’re performing on Google and Facebook and use reply templates to quickly reply to reviews.
