88% percent of consumers read reviews in order to determine the quality of the local business (85% read up to ten!), and another 88% say they trust online reviews just as much as they trust personal recommendations. We can’t stress the importance of online reviews enough. Let’s take a look at helpful ways you can ensure customers review your product.
1. It’s all about the timing.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: the first step to obtain reviews is simply to ask your customers to leave their feedback. But the easiest way to increase your chances of your customers actually doing this is by asking them at the right time.
For example, if you just resolved an issue with a customer, make sure you follow up immediately and ask them for that review. The experience will still be fresh in their mind, and they will feel more compelled to share. If the person ordered a product that takes a few days to ship, make sure you aren’t asking for feedback until after their package is received. Chances are they aren’t going to go back to that email days later after they have your product.
2. Make it easy
This is an obvious, yet often overlooked strategy: make the process of leaving a review as easy and seamless as possible. Don’t make the customer have to log in again or click on a bunch of links in order to get to the right survey. If the process isn’t straightforward and quick, most people will give up. Make sure you allow customers to write reviews directly on the website, provide easy access to leave a reviews on other platforms, and make sure you have a call to action asking to “rate us” visible and easy to find.
3. Use demographics
Understanding the demographics of your customer base will help you segment how you reach out for feedback. For example, if the majority of your customers are millennials, you should know immediately that sending a bunch of marketing emails will be not only a waste of time but annoying. Millennials are known for leaving feedback and sharing their experiences on social media platforms even without anyone asking them to. Encourage this behavior with social campaigns directed around reviewing your product. On the flip side, older customers tend to be less engaged in social media, so they might prefer and email with a straightforward online survey attached.
4. Share the spotlight
If someone is helpful enough to leave a positive review, you can thank them by giving them a bit of the spotlight. Let’s say a popular blogger leaves you an awesome review. One way you could show them your gratitude is by mentioning their blog and their review on your website. You could also feature their review with a photo and a direct quote on your website. People like attention, and this sort of highlighting can make your customers feel special and appreciated. It’s also a great way to motivate others to leave reviews, once they see that you’re truly engaged in your customers opinions.
5. Offer free trials, discounts, or prizes
When asking isn’t enough, sometimes you need to offer a direct incentive. Customers love free trials, discounts, and chances to win huge prizes. While you can’t incentivize customers on certain review sites (think Yelp and Google), you can on your main website.
Final Thoughts
Obtaining customer reviews is an ongoing process that you can refine as you learn more about how your specific customer base reacts to your requests. All of these techniques will help you get more reviews, but remember, if you want positive reviews, it’s going to come down to your companies ability to provide an amazing produce and incredible customer support. The better you treat your customers along their purchasing journey, the better their reviews will be.
Comments are closed.