If you sell products or services, then you must ask customers to review what they buy because, as they say, "all publicity is good publicity". Good reviews will show your customers that yours is a brand they can trust, and bad reviews give you a chance to prove that you stand behind your offerings. Using customer reviews may be a company's best marketing tactic, so it’s time to start collecting and using them to your benefit.
So let's talk about the importance of reviews, how to get them, and how to use them to their maximum potential.
While your marketing materials should demonstrate the value of your company and the benefit of your products, many people aren't satisfied with only what *you* have to say. They want to know what other consumers like them think.
That's why they’ll often look for referrals, testimonials, and reviews from others. Having your customers refer their friends is one of the best ways to get new customers and expand your business, but if you’re struggling to get those good customers in the first place, then positive reviews can help. A positive review could be the deciding factor if a customer is on the edge of buying or moving on. The best way to get positive reviews is to increase customer satisfaction and remind your patrons every chance you get about your company's excellent services.
So, how do you improve your customer service? There are several strategies. One is to understand and anticipate what the customers expect and create a map of their journey. Learn how they shop and determine when most people have questions, and then provide answers before they have to ask.
The other way is to ask them to review your service and take their feedback to heart to improve your business. You can acquire those reviews via a link on your website, you could have your sales associates remind customers that they can submit a review after a positive experience, or you can send patrons an email after a successful sale.
Remember that customers can post a bad review about any negative issue they experience, so you must have your bases covered. In addition to simply ensuring that your product works properly, you should have friendly customer service associates, an accessible website that allows ease of use for all customers, competitive prices, and anything else you can think of to keep people smiling as they leave your store.
When it comes to using positive reviews in your marketing materials, start with social media. Use it to create a post that showcases a review for a particular product so people take notice. The only downside here is that the customers who see that post may already be interested in your company, so you're limited in your reach.
The other option is to use paid targeted ads. Various social media platforms have a paid advertising program, such as Facebook Ads. Create an attention-grabbing post that showcases one of your reviews. Then pay to have it shown to potential customers who may have an interest in your product. For this strategy to work, you must have a firm grasp on what defines your target demographic so you can add the appropriate age range and keywords specific to the folks you’re trying to reach.
Another option is to use your company’s website and landing pages. You could place one of your best reviews at the top of the website so customers immediately see it as soon as they arrive. You could also have a video testimonial that pops up when customers are looking at a certain product. When they watch it, they can see how helpful that item has been for others. Then they may be more inclined to buy.
Finally, consider the idea of paid ads on search engines. These are the sponsored photos at the top of the page on Google or Bing when you search for a particular product. If the customer is looking to buy a product that is sold by you and your competitors, then they’re more likely to click on your ad when they see the five-star review and an encouraging quote from a past customer.
You must have your expectations in check when you're fishing for reviews, and remember that they won’t all be positive. It’s natural to feel doom and gloom when you get that negative review, but you mustn't see it as the end of the world, but instead, as a chance to show your customers that you won’t quit until they are satisfied.
Many people will leave negative reviews on social media. They might say that the product they received didn’t work or arrived damaged. Don’t shy away from this opportunity. Take the time to respond by showing empathy and seeing the issue from their point of view, and then provide a solution that satisfies the customer’s needs. Not only will you help that particular patron, but when other potential customers read those comments, they’ll see that you stand behind your services, and they may still give you a chance.
You must properly handle negative reviews, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, consider staying silent. The last thing you want to do is argue with the customer or tell them they’re wrong on a public stage because it’s a bad look and could cause a major hit to your reputation.
The point is that customer reviews are no longer something to be feared. Use your reviews wisely, and they could launch your company to the top.
PS: Are you receiving FREE publicity opportunities, straight into your inbox?
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