One sure social proof that you need as a business is customer reviews. Customer reviews are essential for every business as they can positively affect your business’ reputation. In the same vein, the absence of them can negatively affect your business because your business would not have the credibility that it needs. By actively asking and managing customer reviews, you can boost your online visibility, attract new customers, and increase sales.
However, these reviews cannot be picked up from the floor, neither can they be plucked from trees. You have to ask your customers for them and this is where the greater task lies.
Customers can be a handful. They can be very pleased and satisfied with your product/services and yet, say no word to commend you. Some others could be dissatisfied and rather than tell you what went wrong, you’d not hear anything from them. You’d just be left worrying about what went wrong, and why they didn’t return for some other business with your brand.
Now, you are left in the driver’s seat wondering how to steer things in favour of your business. You have to know how to ask for these reviews. Asking your customers for reviews is not as hard as it sounds; you just need to know the ‘HOW’
In this article, you will discover the Top (Eight) 8 Secrets to asking your customers to leave reviews for you. These eight secrets would help you gather valuable reviews that have the power to boost your business’ reputation, positively. Let’s get right into it:
1. Choose the Right Timing
Timing is everything. When asking for reviews, you must know the perfect time to strike, otherwise, you might get nothing out of your customers. You can ask for reviews immediately after an interaction with a customer, such as immediately after a purchase or a successful service experience. You can also pay more attention to satisfied returning customers, as they’re more likely to leave positive reviews about your business
2. Make It Personal
Addressing customers by their first name adds a personal touch to the messages or email to them. When you include personal touches as you ask for their opinion, it makes the request feel sincere and respectful. Use their name. You could talk very briefly about their purchase, and then, appreciate them for doing business with you. You can let them know that their review is important, and would help you serve them better the next time they come around.
3. Be Specific in Your Request
When specific details are included in the reviews your customers write, potential customers get more insight and it aids their decision-making. So, encourage your customers to share specific details about their experience. You can also suggest the specific aspects of your business that you want them to review. It would give a sense of direction to those who might struggle with what they should include in the reviews, and that would be helpful.
4. Keep It Simple and Accessible
No one likes to go through stress, especially when it doesn’t affect them directly. So, you can make sure the process of leaving a review is simplified and doesn’t take too much time. That is why you should register your business on Parrot , as this platform makes it easy for customers to leave reviews and gain visibility. You should also ensure the instructions are clear enough for them to follow. Everything should be straight-to-the-point.
5. Offer Incentives
This is a bit dicey, so you must ensure you are not framing it like you’re bribing them to leave a review for you. This would come off wrongly. Let them see your incentive as a token of appreciation rather than a reward specifically for a positive review. Make it clear that the reviews can be positive or negative for authenticity purposes.
6. Use Social Media
You can use your social media platforms to ask your customers to share their experiences, with links to review platforms. Also, placing review links on your email signatures or on your website’s ‘Contact’ page gently encourages customers to leave reviews.
7. Encourage Reviews on Multiple Platforms
Request reviews on platforms relevant to your industry, such as Parrot, Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, or niche sites where your customers are active. By giving customers a choice, you make it easier for them to leave a review on a platform they’re familiar with and comfortable using.
8. Thank Your Customers for Their Time
When asking for a review, express gratitude for their time and thoughts. A simple ‘Thank you for helping us improve’ can leave a positive note. And after they leave a review, send a thank-you note to acknowledge and appreciate their effort. This can encourage them to leave more reviews in the future.
Except when they want to express very serious grievances, many customers are not quick to leave reviews for the businesses that they relate with. As a business, you would have to be the one who takes the initiative to get the reviews out of them, especially the positive ones that would portray your business in a good light.
From going through these top 8 secrets, getting reviews from your customers isn’t so hard after all, is it? With these secrets, you can strategically get reviews from your customers whenever and however you need them.
One extra tip: Your customers can leave their reviews seamlessly on Parrot. In less than one minute, you can sign up your business on Parrot and invite your customers to leave reviews about your business on the platform. It is seamless, very fast and absolutely free!
Click this link to get started on Parrot now for free!
Conclusion: Now that you know the reasons you need reviews for your business, do not shy away from asking for them, especially from your satisfied customers.Reviews are a form of marketing. They help in brand building and are an essential customer service tool. They are very crucial to business growth, so encourage your customers to leave reviews for you. Remind them when they forget. If they are satisfied with your customer service, it shouldn’t take them so long to agree to leave a review for you.
Likewise, take the initiative to sign up on review platforms. As a business owner, you should sign up on Parrot.
How to Leverage Parrot to easily collect reviews
Parrot is a two-sided customer reviews and social commerce platform that builds trust between businesses and customers. It enables businesses to gain visibility, understand customer needs, and drive growth.On the Parrot platform, you can register your business, update your bio to include your products and services, and include clear images about your business or products.
In less than one minute, you can sign up for free and get your business account running.
Click this link to get started for FREE.
