Reviews are one of the most powerful forms of social proof that can influence the buying decisions of your potential customers. According to a survey by BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2020, and 79% of them trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. But how do you collect reviews?
Therefore, it is essential for any business to collect reviews from their customers and showcase them on their website, social media, and other platforms.
However, collecting reviews is not always easy. Many customers may not bother to leave a review unless they are extremely satisfied or dissatisfied with your product or service.
Some customers may not know how or where to leave a review or may forget to do so after their purchase. Some customers may be reluctant to share their personal information or opinions online or may be afraid of negative consequences if they leave a bad review.
So, how can you overcome these challenges and collect more reviews from your customers? Here are some tips and best practices that can help you:
Ask for Reviews at the Right Time and Place
Timing and location are crucial factors when it comes to asking for reviews. You want to ask your customers for reviews when they are most likely to give you positive feedback and when they have the most convenient and accessible way to do so.
Some of the best times to ask for reviews are:
- Immediately after the purchase or service completion
- After the customer has received or used the product or service
- After the customer has expressed satisfaction or gratitude
- After the customer has re-purchased or renewed their subscription
- After the customer has referred someone else to your business
Some of the best places to ask for reviews are:
- On your website or app
- On your email receipts or invoices
- On your thank you or confirmation pages
- On your follow-up emails or messages
- On your social media posts or stories
- On your packaging or delivery notes
- On your physical store or office
Make It Easy and Simple for Your Customers to Leave Reviews
One of the main reasons why customers do not leave reviews is because they find it too complicated or time-consuming. Therefore, you need to make it as easy and simple as possible for your customers to leave reviews.
Some of the ways to do that are:
- Use clear and direct calls-to-action (CTAs) that invite your customers to leave a review
- Provide multiple options and channels for your customers to leave reviews, such as online forms, surveys, ratings, testimonials, video reviews, etc.
- Integrate with popular review platforms, such as Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, Trustpilot, etc., where your customers can easily find and write reviews
- Use a mobile-friendly and responsive design that allows your customers to leave reviews on any device
- Automate and streamline the review collection process using tools, such as Review Collector, ReviewTrackers, Podium, etc., that can help you send review requests, reminders, and incentives to your customers via email, text, or web
Offer Incentives and Rewards for Your Customers to Leave Reviews
Another way to encourage your customers to leave reviews is to offer them incentives and rewards for doing so. Incentives and rewards can motivate your customers to take action and show them that you appreciate their feedback.
Some of the incentives and rewards that you can offer are:
- Discounts or coupons for future purchases
- Free samples or trials of new products or services
- Points or credits for loyalty programs
- Entries into sweepstakes or contests
- Gifts or vouchers for referrals
- Recognition or shout-outs on your website, social media, or newsletter
However, when offering incentives and rewards, you need to be careful not to violate the guidelines and policies of the review platforms that you use.
You also need to be transparent and honest with your customers about the terms and conditions of the incentives and rewards. You should never pay for fake reviews or manipulate the ratings or rankings of your business.
Respond to Reviews and Engage with Your Customers
Finally, collecting reviews is not enough. You also need to respond to reviews and engage with your customers. Responding to reviews can show your customers that you care about their opinions and experiences.
It can also help you improve your reputation, customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and referrals.
Some of the best practices for responding to reviews are:
- Respond to both positive and negative reviews promptly and politely
- Thank your customers for their feedback and acknowledge their compliments or complaints
- Apologize for any problems or issues that they faced and offer solutions or compensation
- Invite your customers to contact you directly if they have any questions or concerns
- Ask your customers for permission to use their reviews as testimonials or case studies on your website, social media, or other platforms
Final words
Collecting reviews from your customers is one of the best ways to boost your business. Reviews can help you attract more customers, increase your conversions, sales, and revenue, and enhance your brand awareness, credibility, and trust. However, collecting reviews is not always easy.
You need to ask for reviews at the right time and place, make it easy and simple for your customers to leave reviews, offer incentives and rewards for your customers to leave reviews, and respond to reviews and engage with your customers.
By following these tips and best practices, you can collect more reviews from your customers and grow your business.