Did you know that 99.9 percent of customers read reviews when shopping online?

When you consider the fact that most searches for businesses (from plumbers and HVAC professionals to restaurants) start online, it makes sense that reviews are essential to a company’s success.

The more reviews you can get for your business on platforms like Google, social media, and third-party review sites, the better. How can you convince people to take an extra step and give you a positive review, though?

If you’re curious about how to ask customers to leave a review, this guide can help. Discover some of the most effective strategies below.

Why Do Reviews Matter?

Customer reviews offer numerous benefits for your business, regardless of the products or services you offer. Here are some of the top reasons to learn how to get more online reviews sooner rather than later:

Attract More Customers

Just about everyone searches for reviews before deciding to hire a particular professional or shop at a specific store.

To attract more customers or clients, you need positive reviews online. If people can quickly learn about your business and see that people are generally happy with your products or services, they’ll be more inclined to hire or shop with you.

Improve Online Visibility

The more positive reviews your business has, the easier it is for other people to find it online.

If more people find you online, you’ll see an uptick in website traffic. More website traffic also helps you win favor with search engine algorithms and enables you to gain a higher position on search engine results pages.

Stronger Social Media Presence

Reviews on social media platforms like Facebook can help you build your online audience. If you want to gain more followers or receive more positive mentions on social media, collecting more reviews will bring you closer to those goals.

Gain a Competitive Advantage

Gaining more customers and improving your online visibility will help you gain a competitive advantage over other professionals in your industry.

Don’t you want your business to become the go-to option in your community? Positive reviews can help you make that happen.

How to Get More Reviews

Do any of those benefits sound appealing to you? If so, it’s time to start prioritizing collecting reviews from customers.

Not sure how to get more reviews for your business? Start with these strategies.

Follow Up with Previous Customers

One of the best times to ask for a review is when you’re following up with a previous customer.

They’ll already (in most cases) be happy that you went the extra mile and reached out to see how they’re doing after buying a product or receiving a service. Take advantage of their positive attitude toward your business by asking if they’d be willing to leave a positive review on Google, your website, etc.

There are lots of ways to follow up with your customers, too. Call them on the phone, send a text message, or email them.

Texting and emailing are especially helpful options because you can send the customer a link directly to your review page, making it even easier for them to follow through.

Ask In Person

Some professionals — especially plumbers, HVAC technicians, and builders — have great success asking for reviews in person. After you’ve met with a client and helped them resolve a specific problem, consider asking them to leave a review on your website or your preferred platform.

If a client is openly singing your praises and thanking you for your help, let them know that you appreciate them and would love it if they left a review on your website so other people can find your business more efficiently.

You can also gently prompt the client by telling them that you hope they had a positive experience. When they say they did, respond by telling them you’re glad and asking them to leave a review.

Ask After a Sale

If you run a brick-and-mortar business, like a boutique or restaurant, ask for a review after you’ve made a sale or brought someone their check.

Use the same guidelines mentioned above to ask for a review. For example, if the customer is telling you how much they enjoyed their meal, use that as a jumping-off point to ask for a review.

You can also tell them that you want to know how they like a particular product after they’ve tried it for a couple of days or weeks. Encourage them to check back in and leave a review on your website if they’re happy with it.

Search for Social Media Mentions

Social media reviews can be beneficial when you’re trying to build your business’s online presence and attract more customers.

Scour social media regularly to look for positive mentions from previous customers or clients. Has someone tagged your business in a post, for example, or shouted you out in their Instagram Stories?

If you see someone saying something nice about your business and your products or services, comment on their post or send them a direct message letting them know you’d appreciate a review.

Offer Incentives

Sometimes, customers and clients need an extra push to leave a review. Offering an incentive is an excellent way to give them that push.

For example, you can offer a discount on a particular service or a free gift when someone leaves a review. You can also run a drawing and give people an entry for every positive review they share on a specific platform (one entry for a Google review, one entry for a Yelp review, etc.).

Just be sure to share the rules of the incentive clearly so there’s no confusion!

Start Getting More Reviews for Your Business Today with Townsquare Interactive

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been curious about how to get more Google reviews or more reviews directly on your website, the tips discussed in this guide can help you achieve your goal. And with Townsquare Interactive, you’ll have a dedicated team of marketing experts who will help you put them to use.

From website design to business listings management, Townsquare Interactive ensures that existing and potential customers alike can easily find your business online everywhere they’re searching.

Click the button below to learn more about strategies for boosting customer reviews for your business today!

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