Let’s look at the psychology of shopping. You see a nice pair of trainers, new television, new car or even a new accountant. The first thing you do is look at online reviews: the good, the bad and the ugly. Based on this you form your own opinion and make your decision.
Most potential customers won’t consider businesses with a low rating, so before you start with online reviews you need to be confident that you deliver a great product or service. Reviews are just as important as personal recommendations!
But what can they really do for my business?
Lots. Everyone knows brands like Apple, Nike and British Gas, but customers don’t know what to expect from your business. You don’t have the same standing as established brands, and this is where reviews come in. They give potential customers confidence in your business by showing what your existing customers are saying, and why you’re better than your competitors.
In short, they help build trust in your brand before you’ve even spoken to the customer.
What can I use reviews for?
Reviews are a great marketing tool. If your customers are giving you great reviews, use them as a selling point: take a screenshot and post an article on social media or write a blog. It’s great free, unique and relevant content for your social channels. Not only do reviews raise brand awareness, they inspire confidence in that product or service. The reviews themselves can do all the selling for you.
What if I get a bad review?
Turn it into a positive. Bad reviews can be used to identify key areas of weakness which need to be improved, giving you the chance to provide a better customer experience. Another important thing to remember is some people just don’t give great reviews, no matter how hard you try, so don’t beat yourself up!
How can I get great reviews?
- Always engage with your customers on social media, by email or phone in a timely, helpful manner.
- Provide excellent products or services.
- Invite customers to post testimonials and ask for reviews on either your own system, or on Google or Facebook.
- Go above and beyond the competition in terms of customer service.
- Respond positively to reviews even if they are bad. Offer a refund or at least an apology… and learn from it.
What system can I use for my reviews?
There are many systems out there like Feefo and Trustpilot but we use Customersure. Customersure integrates with Xero: once a client has been invoiced, an email asking for a review is automatically sent out. Customersure is independently hosted making sure reviews cannot be deleted or edited.
