How to Ask for Reviews & Why You Need Them to Grow Your Business (with Examples)

Online reviews give potential customers a look inside your business and can make or break a sale. They also give businesses the ability to see real feedback and get constructive criticism. Your competition is probably thinking about how to get customer reviews at this very moment. You need to fill your online business profiles with genuine quality reviews right now.

Why You Need Reviews

• Builds trust and credibility
• Stand out in search engines
• Gain valuable feedback from your customers
• Positive effects on SEO

According to a 2015 Nielsen study, 83% of people believe this is the most credible kind of advertising

How to Ask for Online Reviews

Review Source

Before you ask your customer for a review, you’ll want to have several profiles set up so its easy for your customers to leave a review by linking to them. Make it effortless for your customers as possible. Top places to get reviews:

• Google Places
• Bing Local
• Yelp
• Facebook

You may also want to focus your efforts on getting reviews on a website that’s specifically related to your trade, such as:

• Etsy
• Angie’s List
• Thumbtack
• the knot

Have a System

Having a system in place to ask for reviews can simplify the process. Once you’ve established your list of profiles you’d like to build reviews for, put together a template email or document with a write-up and link to several of the profiles. You want it to be as effortless as possible.

Asking for a Customer Review – 2 Written Examples:

Review Us on Google We depend on support from customers like you. Would you mind posting a review on Google? ABC Business would like to know how much you like being their client.  “It was a pleasure doing business with you. Your suggestions would be of great value. If you wish to write about your experience with us, kindly click on the link below.”

Timing

Timing is everything when asking for a review. Since you know your product or service the best, you’ll know if you should ask immediately following a purchase/sale or wait several weeks if its something that needs testing.

Offer Incentives

Everyone loves a deal in exchange for their time. Offering a discount on a future purchase or running a drawing can help entice someone to leave a review.

A Note on Authenticity

It should be known that Google emphasizes the importance of genuine reviews. When asking for reviews, encourage your customers to leave an honest written review that includes their name, images, and any other relevant information that can be helpful to the public.

More Reading:

https://mailchimp.com/resources/why-you-need-customer-reviews-and-the-best-ways-to-https://yoast.com/get-local-reviews-ratings/get-them/

How to get local reviews and ratings

About Matt Hatfield Matt Hatfield is an artist & designer from Enfield, CT with a passion for helping others turn their ideas into a reality. He’s also an online marketing consultant and website designer and has extensive experience working with small businesses across the Northeast including CT, MA, RI, NY, NH, VT, and NJ.