While In our previous article, we talked about the ways customer reviews can help boost sales. It is a fact that buyers’ decisions are heavily influenced by customer reviews. In this article, we would cover tips on how to get customers reviews and ways to turn customers’ feedback into a goldmine.
This is known to be one of the most used feedback gathering methods, It could be in the form of links i.e attaching a link to the body of an email for your customers to fill or having HTML embedded emails that allow your customers answer questions directly from their inbox. To get reviews via mail it is advised that it comes from a recognized email and written as a request from that person. Ask specific questions and have a very clear call to action. It is advised that the questions shouldn’t be more than three so it is not viewed as an exam or a chore. Your customer is already taking time out of their busy schedule to check your email, so sending them a 3-page review form to fill may only cause them to ignore it.
If you run an e-commerce website or even a regular web page for your business, it is advisable to include a system for reviews within your site. It could be you trying to measure users’ experience or get feedback on a product. Surveys are a highly effective way to gather input on products and experience of customers on the spot. There are various ways you could get feedback; you can either embed a survey on to your web page, create a pop-up web survey on your website or even add review capabilities to your e-commerce website. (For example, Aliexpress has a star review system where you can rate products bought and leave reviews on products). Also, be sure to follow up when customers leave reviews. This shows that you listen and value customers’ reviews.
The importance of social media to a business cannot be overestimated in this day and age. Hence, social media reviews can essentially work as the digital version of person to person marketing. To get started, choose the specific platform(s) that most benefit your business. Then ask your most loyal customers to leave reviews “as a favor.” Third, optimize all your platforms to make it easy for every user to come in contact with you. While engagement on your posts works as social proof, reviews on your social media are powerful testimonials that can affect how new users perceive your business. Therefore, engaging with reviews and utilizing them as part of your marketing strategy, will help to generate more reviews that will benefit your business. You have just got to get started—and ask.
Person to person request has been proven over time to be highly effective. This is because customers are more likely to oblige to give reviews when asked in person as opposed to emails. You can create opportunities to ask for a review by striking up a simple conversation with the customer. Assisting them with their purchase and getting to know their pain point, makes your customers more comfortable in expressing themselves. This sets the entree for asking them for reviews and knowing that they will oblige.
Encourage customers to write reviews by rewarding them for doing so. By incentivizing your shoppers they are much more enthusiastic to give reviews. It takes time and effort to write a review. Receiving some sort of reward for doing so adds to the overall positive experience they have had with your brand.
You can offer 10% off on some purchases or coupons to encourage buyers to share their feedback publicly. Rewarding customers for writing reviews is an acceptable practice, however, buying reviews is disingenuous and could negatively hurt the image of your brand.
In conclusion, to fully optimize your sales process you have to do a fine amount of sourcing for reviews and putting these reviews through the right channel. This will take a little effort, but it is an investment that will pay off eventually.