8 Methods for Increasing Customer Reviews for Your Local Business

Online reviews provide social proof, demonstrate your expertise, and foster trust. Here are eight ways to get customer reviews for your brand.

Few things influence purchasing decisions as much as online reviews in the Internet age. So why not?

They offer genuine and honest insight that no marketing campaign could ever match.

Customer reviews, the modern equivalent of the all-important word of mouth, can make or break a local business's reputation - and have a significant impact on sales numbers.

Still not convinced of the value of reviews for small businesses? Here are some key online review statistics to be aware of:

• More than 99.9% of people who shop online read reviews at least occasionally.
• Positive reviews were acknowledged by 91% of consumers as making them more likely to support a business.
• 79% of people believe online reviews are as trustworthy as personal recommendations.
• Only 13% of people would consider doing business with a company that has two stars or less.

Online reviews provide social proof of the quality of your offering, establish your expertise, and build trust, so having as many positive ones as possible is critical for local businesses.

Here are 8 techniques for encouraging reviews for your local business.

1. Collect Email Addresses During Billing

Asking for the customer's email address and phone number at the time of purchase is a big step toward getting a review from them.

If someone is willing to share their contact information with a business, they have most likely had a positive experience and will most likely share their experience with others.

Once you have their email address, follow up with a friendly email after a week and ask them to write an honest review about their experience with your company.

Important: Always read and follow the most recent official review platform guidance on soliciting reviews:

• What Google has to say about obtaining reviews.
• What Yelp has to say about obtaining reviews.
• What TrustPilot has to say about soliciting reviews.

2. Encourage Reviews With In-Store Placards

You can use in-store signage to encourage reviews if you are a local business with a physical location. This can include banners, flyers, brochures, and window signs.

A review request can also be included at the bottom of the bill receipts.

You can also have a kiosk with an in-store app that directs customers to a page on the business website where they can leave an on-site review.

You could even have a QR code that, when scanned, takes them to a list of review profile links where they can select the platform of their choice to write a review.

These are clear indications to customers of your desire and appreciation for online feedback, demonstrating that you value their feedback and the continuous improvement of your services.

3. Mention how much you would appreciate honest feedback verbally.

Train your employees to express how much an honest review would be appreciated, especially if the customer appears to be satisfied.

This strategy will fail if there is a long line of customers and the person behind the counter keeps repeating the same "Please review us" message to everyone.

When the time (and rapport) is right, a friendly staff member should be authorized to say, "It'd be great if you'd consider leaving a review about business name>."

A request for a review will sound heartfelt rather than pushy in this case.

Remember that this applies to both in-store employees and online/phone support.

4. Provide Incentives for Future Purchases

While your most loyal customers should be evangelising about your brand to their friends and family, some others may require a gentle nudge to leave reviews.

One of the best ways to accomplish this is to provide them with discounts, coupons, or other incentives in exchange for a review.

Just be aware that Google frowns on fake reviews and other forms of engagement that it considers to be fraudulent.

That's not to say you can't offer incentives; just that you can't offer them for positive reviews.

You're within the rules as long as you give the two-star reviewer the same coupon as the five-star writer.

5. Include Reminders for Review on Your Website

The easier you make it for your customers to leave a review, the more likely you are to receive more reviews. It may seem obvious, but many businesses make no effort to make the review writing process easier for their customers.

Most people do not leave reviews because they do not want to spend time "learning" how to do so.

Even if they know how it is viewed as an unnecessary and time-consuming process that they cannot bear.

So, make it as simple as possible for your customers to provide valuable feedback.

Use call-to-action buttons and pop-ups on your website to direct visitors to your Yelp or Google Business Profile review page.

Consider using a direct link generator tool, such as Supple, to generate a unique Google review link for your company and email it to your customers.

Customers who click on this link are taken directly to the URL on your Google Business Profile, where they can write and post their reviews.

Don't expect your customers to go through a complicated review process; it's doubtful.

6. Utilize Social Media

You can ask specific questions about your company's performance on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Interested followers can be directed to their preferred review platform to leave a review.

For example, if you own a restaurant, you could casually inquire if there was an older menu item that was discontinued that your customers really missed. Then, as a "vote" for bringing it back, you could encourage customers to mention it in their reviews.

This technique allows customers to share fun stories in the form of reviews, increasing your brand's social media engagement.

7. Respond to all reviews thoughtfully.

Regardless of how busy you are, it is your responsibility to respond if someone takes the time to review your company.

While it's always best to avoid sounding robotic as a brand, a simple, timely "thank you" can encourage customers to stick with you.

In other words, your response should be personalized and distinctive.

When people see that you respond to every review, good or bad, it gives the impression that the company genuinely cares about customer sentiment, which encourages new customers to share their own experiences.

Also, don't be disheartened by negative reviews; they contribute to the authenticity of your brand.

If all the reviews are glowing, there's almost always something fishy going on. People would begin to doubt the veracity of those reviews.

When responding to negative reviews, consider the following guidelines:

• Respond as soon as possible.
• Recognize your error.
• Explain your point of view in a polite manner.
• Write a heartfelt and personal apology (even if you believe it isn't your fault).
• Provide a prompt resolution or compensation (such as a refund, voucher, or the like).
• If things appear to be getting out of hand, request that the matter be taken offline.

Use negative feedback to improve your business and demonstrate that you care about your customers' satisfaction.

Return to the drawing board and address the underlying cause of the problem.

To summarize, the golden rule of responding to reviews is to always respond and never respond harshly.

8. Give Your Customers a Fantastic Experience

The amount and quality of reviews you receive are directly related to your customer's in-store experience.

If a customer is blown away by your product, service, or experience, they will feel compelled to leave a review.

It is critical to delight customers and exceed their expectations in order to generate more and better reviews.

So, if you strive to provide the best possible customer experience, you can be confident that it will pay off.

Find Customer Feedback For Your Company

Congratulations if you've already been soliciting, monitoring, and responding to your reviews! You're already ahead of the game. If you haven't already, there's no better time than now to get started.

The first thing you should do is find out what your current customers are saying about you. This entails investigating the top review platforms.

You may also have to manage industry-specific review sites, depending on your field.

Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook will all consider your online reputation for nearly every business.

Online Reviews Can Alter Your Business's Path

Online reviews are a great way to stay on top of what's going on in your business, gather feedback, and expand your customer base.

This is true for both good and bad ones.

Good reviews inform potential customers about how fantastic you are and why they should do business with you.

Bad reviews allow you to take responsibility, identify flaws, and turn negative experiences into positive ones.

Online reviews are critical for the success of any business, especially on a local level.

They provide potential and current customers with insight into your operation and an authenticity that cannot be found elsewhere by describing actual interactions with your business.

Hire a Trusted Partner to Boosting Customer Reviews

BizzDesign is your trusted partner in boosting customer reviews for your local business. With their expert guidance and innovative strategies, we can help you create a strong online reputation and foster positive interactions with your customers.

Customer reviews play a vital role in today's digital landscape. They serve as powerful social proof, influencing potential customers' decisions and building trust in your brand. BizzDesign understands the significance of customer feedback and offers tailored solutions to maximize your review acquisition and management process.

By leveraging BizzDesign's expertise, you can implement effective strategies to encourage your customers to leave reviews. We can assist you in implementing review generation campaigns, optimizing your online presence on review platforms, and providing you with tools to gather valuable feedback from your customers.

BizzDesign's solutions go beyond simply increasing the number of reviews. We focus on enhancing the quality and credibility of your reviews, ensuring that they truly reflect the positive experiences of your customers. Through targeted reputation management techniques, we can help you address negative feedback and showcase your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Remember, in the digital era, customer reviews are the lifeblood of local businesses. BizzDesign's comprehensive approach to boosting customer reviews will not only drive more foot traffic and online visibility but also establish your business as a trusted authority in your industry.

Don't let your local business miss out on the incredible opportunities that customer reviews bring. Partner with BizzDesign today and watch your reputation soar, attracting new customers and fostering long-lasting relationships. Together, we can unlock the power of positive customer feedback and propel your business to new heights.