Introduction
Listings in local business directories are a great way for your company to be promoted and get the word out about you and what you do. Negative reviews can cause more damage than good if they aren’t posted in local business listings. Because users are always looking at reviews when comparing businesses in their industry or category to get a better idea about the quality and service they can expect. If you don’t have reviews, but your competitors’ pages are filled with positive reviews and reviews, customers will be directed to them. These tips will help you get positive reviews and customers will be flocking to your door.
Use surveys
Surveys can be a great tool for businesses. They can give insight into your business’ strengths and weaknesses, online or printed, so they are great for businesses. Surveys can help you gain positive reviews in your local business directory. In the survey, ask for customers’ email addresses. You can then browse them and find positive reviews, and ask customers to leave positive reviews for you on your local business listing.
Please leave a review for
Customers have become so used to seeing receipts that they can find discounts, offers, and surveys, it is easy to leave a link to a review website on their receipts. This will help you get great reviews. This link should be made known to your staff and encouraged them to share it with customers. This will reinforce the idea that customers need to examine the receipt and could prompt customers to leave positive reviews.
When to give incentives and when not
Although it may seem like a great idea to offer customers an incentive to leave reviews, this could prove to be counterproductive. Customers can be turned off by being offered something free of charge, believing they are giving you positive feedback. It’s easy for word to spread quickly and could damage your business. Give the link to customers who wish to leave reviews. Staff members are the best people to offer incentives. Referring customers to the link on their receipt, or directing them to another review site, will give you a small percentage increase on your paycheque. You can also offer other incentives, such as Employee of the Month.
Using a tablet makes it simpler
You can rely on your customers to find the review site by simply telling them about it and giving them the link. This may not always be the case. Instead, make sure the review site is up and running in your business. Once you have made a sale, hand it to them. You will see an increase in positive reviews for your listing.
Watch your social networks closely
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to find positive reviews about your business. You can check out what people are saying about your business on social media. You can thank them for any positive feedback by simply saying ‘thanks’. Then ask them to leave a review on the site. Most likely, if they are so impressed with your company that they want to say it again, there is a good chance they will.
Where and when to refer customers
If you provide a link to a review site that isn’t applicable to you, it won’t be of any benefit to you or your customers. It’s difficult to send customers to Google+ without a Gmail account. If they leave a review on Yelp, but are not registered users, Yelp’s filters may simply throw it away. It will be easier for customers to find the best review site for them and it will increase your chances for receiving positive reviews.
Use your database
There’s a good chance that your database is already being used for other marketing campaigns. Why not make it work for reviews? It’s easy to set it up. Tell customers that you are now on Yelp or Google+. Invite them to leave a review. To make it easier for customers, be sure to include the link to the review site in the email.
Responding to reviews
People want to know they aren’t just sending something online so that it gets lost somewhere. Repond to any reviews currently posted on any review site. Recommendations for positive reviews are appreciated. You can also help negative reviews. Even if you just say that you will contact them, people appreciate knowing that you are also taking the time to help if they do.
Request them
Sometimes business owners believe asking for a review would look desperate or turn off customers. It won’t. It won’t. Ask customers to review your company in their local directories right after they make a sale. Make it simple by giving them the link. Sometimes you will need to ask to receive.
Ask now
You can’t expect a customer to review you three weeks after they have purchased something from you. Ask at the point of sale and you will be more likely to get the results that you want.