Getting Online Reviews: Do's And Don'ts

In today's world online reviews are now an integral part of the purchase journey; most of the time consumers seek out opinions from other customers who already made a purchase. A recent study shows that 88% of buyers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

We're seeing Google continue to make moves that point to providing consumers with quality information about local businesses. You've most likely seen the results lately when you Google a business yourself. The information (if the business has provided it) on the right side of your screen gives you a snapshot of that business and reviews appear front and center.

Any business that ignores the online review sites will continue to put its future sales at risk. A recent study from BrightLocal showed that consumers are increasingly considering online reviews as part of their purchase decision process, let me share with you some numbers:

§  88% have read reviews to determine the quality of a local business (vs. 85% in 2013)

§  39% read reviews on a regular basis (vs. 32% in 2013)

§  Only 12% do not read reviews (vs. 15% in 2013)

Having known the above facts, it is definitely important to have a solid strategy to capture your happy, loyal customers' opinions about your business.

Do's and Don'ts for getting online reviews

The following list is part of the process we cultivate when we work with our clients.

Do's:

1) Earn the right to invite a review.

Customer experience has never been more shareable than today. With everyone who possesses a phone and a social platform, it's a matter of seconds before your customers broadcast what it's like to do business with you. It is your duty to create and maintain a culture around customer experience. After all, it's one of those things that differentiates you from your competitor.

2) Make it easy.

§  Leverage signage: put stickers and signs where customers' eyeballs land.

§  Utilize your customer database: identify recent purchasers and email addresses that coincide with online review platforms, send them emails asking for reviews. Example: send emails to Gmail users asking for their feedback on Google.

§  Up your game with strategic emails: Ask a Net Promoter Score question (On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend us to your friends and family?)

3) Provide training for employees.

Your front line employees need to be trained on how to recognize potential opportunities for valuable customer feedback. They also need word tracks once they've identified that opportunity. Let's face it as a beginner; it's hard to ask for reviews. The more your employees do it, the better they'll become.

Don'ts:

1) Don't ask for a positive review.

Asking for a positive review is against the terms of service for nearly every online review site. Your future customers are looking for authentic, genuine and natural opinions and feedback. Here's where your staff can shine if they're able to consistently recognize the opportunity for ideal reviews.

2) Don't apply pressure on your customer.

Some salespeople can get overly enthusiastic about reviews, especially if their pay plan incorporates reviews as part of their compensation. Keep a close eye on employee behavior and make sure they're not doing anything to jeopardize your brands' reputation.

3) Don't offer anything in exchange for a review.

Gaming the system never pays off. On the contrary this practice will get you banned from review sites. Yelp, for instance, will put a "Consumer Alert" on your profile for 90 days. Google may choose to de-list you. It's pretty much clear that there are no shortcuts to an excellent online reputation.

Your happy, loyal customers will be delighted to share their feedback and opinions about your business. However, your happy, loyal customers are busy and often life gets in the way of their follow through. Gentle reminders will keep you top of mind. Getting online reviews is not simple or easy, but with 88% of your business at risk, isn't it worth the effort?