It would be an understatement to suggest that consumer reviews are influential.

Consumers may be more influenced by a few review phrases than by a whole website. A customer may select a rival over you with just a one-star differential, or even a half-star. Not to add that the main local SEO ranking criteria is reviews.

But you need to ask your consumers for reviews in order to earn those phrases or that extra star. Although it may appear uncomfortable or self-serving, individuals actually like giving their ideas; they just need a little prodding.

With examples and templates to make your life simpler, we’ll explain why and how to solicit customer evaluations in this guide's many circumstances.

Why request feedback?

Because of your own buying experiences, you can already speak to the effectiveness of consumer evaluations. Consider how many times you have selected a company based on its reviews or merely because it has reviews. Or perhaps you never had any second thoughts and knew precisely what you wanted to buy after hearing fantastic things about it from a friend.

The truth is that, even if they are complete strangers, what other people have to say about your business is more credible than what you have to say about it. Not persuaded? Look at these figures from internet reviews:

• Online reviews are trusted more than personal recommendations by 84 percent of customers.

• 13,000 more leads might be generated by increasing your review star rating by 1.5.

• A Yelp rating improvement of 1 star results in a 5–9% revenue boost.

If those statistics aren't motivating you to step outside your comfort zone and begin gathering testimonials for your own company, the following numbers might:

• Customers are ready. According to a BrightLocal research, 76 percent of those who are prompted to post reviews actually do so.

• Reviews are useful to consumers. In a Podium survey, 93% of customers agreed that internet evaluations for local businesses are just as valuable as product reviews on online marketplaces like Amazon.

• Customers look for reviews. 98 percent of customers examine online evaluations of nearby companies, according to BrightLocal.

How to ask for client feedback

There are many different ways to ask for reviews, whether you want to increase your Amazon reviews, earn five stars on Facebook, increase your Yelp ratings, or gain more Google reviews. Some of these methods include:

• the real

• through telephone (or via text)

• via way of your website (ideally, a reviews page)

• using email (email blast, personal email, company email, email signatures)

• through social media (direct message or post)

• through thank-you pages

• on invoices and receipts

• more

We’ll be covering all of these and more in this post, but remember that you don’t have to stick with just one method of asking customers for reviews. In fact, you should have a few strategies running at once to ensure a steady stream of feedback is coming in about your business. Multiple and recent reviews help earn you more trust from customers and also help your business to rank higher in search results.

How to approach a reviewer face-to-face

Although it might be frightening, asking for a review in person is the best strategy. Take advantage of each chance that comes your way!

Inquire after being praised

The simplest case would be if a consumer approached you and offered unprompted compliments. In this situation, thank them for taking the time to give feedback before making your proposal.

By conversing, you may create chances.

You may ask a client for a review at any time; you don't have to wait for them to come to you. Most of the time, it will be necessary for you to start a discussion with them in order to get the chance. When they check out, you may accomplish this by asking them about their experience with your shop, your services, or your items. Good inquiries would be:

• Today, did you successfully complete your search?

• Are you [using the product you're going to buy] for the first time?

• How does that [something you're buying] feel? I've used [a comparable product], but I haven't tried this one yet.

• I hope you enjoyed working with us. Is there anything we could do better or that you liked?

Don't push it.

Important: When a consumer makes their first complimentary comment about your company, avoid asking for a review. Your discussion will become forced as a result, and you will come out as uninterested in their experience and only concerned with earning the review. Reviews help your reputation, but if you don't ask properly, you won't get any (and your reputation will suffer).

Get a read on the consumer instead. Don't press them to speak if their response is brief and suggests that they aren't in the mood. Continue the discussion if they give you a good response and further details or comments. As it comes to a conclusion, inquire about their opinion.

How to telephone clients for feedback

If you own or run a company that relies heavily on customer service, you and your staff will have lots of opportunity to get consumer feedback over the phone. However, be careful who you ask. It's generally not ideal to ask a customer for a review if you've recently assisted them with a protracted or challenging issue.

However, this is an excellent opportunity to request a review from a self-declared pleased client (preferably one who thanks you for your assistance).

Making your customer feel valued and appreciated will boost their loyalty and enhance the likelihood that they will really leave you a review.

How to text a review request

There are two alternatives if you choose to communicate with customers by text messaging, which is becoming more and more common for businesses nowadays.

SMS services

Additionally, SMS review request services exist that enable the automatic sending of messages following appointments and transactions.

How to email review requests

A good strategy for firms is to request evaluations via email. First of all, email is still a terrific way to reach out to your customers: 58 percent of consumers check their email before doing anything else online, and 91 percent of consumers view their email every day. Second, you may test out various forms and language while including a direct link to the review site in the email.

Email requests for reviews can be sent in the form of a mass email or a private message. As you see fit, you might wish to send out a single, comprehensive email. Here are some easy to use templates.

Email template #1 for a review request

“hello to everybody!

Positive testimonials from wonderful clients like you give other [athletes, parents, artists, etc.] the confidence to select [company name]. Would you please spend 60 seconds visiting [link to review platform] and leaving your positive feedback?

We will always be appreciative. We appreciate your assistance in advance.”

Email template #2 for a review request

“Hello everyone

Did you know that since last year, the number of [company name] admirers has doubled? We must be succeeding in some way! We want to continue doing that, whatever it may be. Tell us then!

We would really appreciate it if you went to [platform] today and left a review if you have 90 seconds to spare. It only takes a few phrases! This makes it possible for us to keep giving you the finest experience and makes it clear to others how [company name] can make their lives simpler.

I appreciate it in advance.”

Email template #3 for a review request

“Good day, [first name]

We appreciate your recent transaction. Hope you enjoy it! Would you think about giving us a [platform] review if you did? This helps people like you find us and make knowledgeable [item] selections as well as enables us to keep producing excellent items.

I appreciate it in advance.”

Email template #4 for a review request

Receiving a personalized email from the company owner may do wonders for a customer's sense of appreciation. Sending them a personalized email thanking them for their business and asking for the review can help you build lasting relationships with a select group of devoted clients who have done a lot of business with you.

“[First name] here.

We need your help right away. Would you please visit [platform] and provide a brief review there?

Reviews assist us in anticipating your requirements and assist people like you in making knowledgeable decisions about [your topic].

No matter what, we still adore you!

I'm hoping to see your grin soon,

[Name]”

Enterprise-wide email

Engage your staff in the process. Ask your team to write personalized emails to customers and emphasize the value of customer evaluations. They'll feel motivated to take part in the project if you let them know that they'll be making a personal contribution to the expansion of your company.

How to get reviews after a purchase

When a consumer makes a purchase, some firms make sense to ask for a review right away, while others would want to wait to let them utilize it first. Make sure to tailor your requests for post-purchase reviews correctly.

Thank you notes

You may quickly make little cards to put in your product packaging, attach to invoices, or place next to the mints to solicit reviews using a design tool like Canva. The message on the card may read:

• "How was it working with us? Post a review!

• "How did we fare?" Post a review at [link] to let us know!

• "Got comments? Please share it with us! Visit [link] to write a review for us.

Emails confirming purchases

Asking for evaluations in post-purchase trigger emails is a terrific idea. Here are two succinct methods to ask for reviews or comments on your thank you pages following purchases:

"We appreciate your purchase! Tell us (and others) about your enjoyable purchasing experience!

"We appreciate your purchase! Please spend a moment reviewing your [new product] here (link to review platform) if you are pleased with it.

How to request reviews on your website

You may add a call to action asking visitors to post reviews across your website, but many companies find that having a separate reviews or testimonials page that is accessible from the main navigation is beneficial (as this is one of the first things a prospective customer seeks out when considering a business).

Have a place where users can give reviews

You can have a place on your website where viewers can look at your reviews and/or leave reviews.

Bring in the existing reviews

Include them on your "leave a review" page or link to a website that displays previous reviews. This provides a helpful benchmark for how concise a review should be.

There is likely a plugin or script available for your content management system that can automatically import your user evaluations from other sites into a feed that can be shown here. One other option is to manually enter them. The reviews should ideally be shown in text format on the page (as opposed to screenshot or image). This is because Google will not recognize the text in a picture as being relevant to a search, despite the fact that reviews are typically rich in keywords that might improve your SEO.

How to Approach Vendors for Feedback

The same goes for your vendors and business partners if you perform a lot of business-to-business transactions. The very act of submitting a review on a competitor's website or listing might be enough to prompt a response, as most company owners realize the significance of positive feedback.

Tips for Requesting Social Media Reviews

Of all the social media sites where you may solicit feedback, Facebook is where you should focus your efforts.

It's best to ask and provide a link.

A Facebook post is the best approach to ask for feedback on Facebook.

Produce new content using pre-existing reviews

An alternative strategy is to publish evaluations as they are received on your feed, like this nearby establishment does. It's usually a good idea to provide a mechanism for consumers to submit feedback in the form of a link.

Advice on how not to solicit feedback

You should solicit feedback, but there is an appropriate and an inappropriate method to do it. It is recommended that you refrain from using the following methods.

Motivating through freebies or price cuts

Review incentives, such as discounts or freebies, are inappropriate. Many review sites, including Yelp and Google, prohibit this practice since it might result in an influx of one-star or otherwise unhelpful reviews (with no text). Reviews aren't created solely for the advantage of the company, but rather to help potential customers make more educated purchasing decisions.

Purchasing Opinions

This regulation exists, once again, to ensure the reliability of rating and review websites.

Apologetic Question

Feel free to solicit feedback. As we've seen, most individuals are willing to offer feedback (67%, to be exact). People like being listened to and will go out of their way to help a business they believe has done right by them. More than that, you're equipping them to help other consumers just like them feel secure in their purchasing decisions. Negatively engaging with feedback

Make sure you answer reviews

First of all, it's a method to show thanks for the customer's time and effort. To continue, this may aid in the development of connections with customers, which in turn can help you keep more of them. In the end, this demonstrates to the general public that you care about what your consumers have to say. By responding, you increase the listing's activity and engagement, two factors Google considers when determining a business's position in search results.

Finally, some advice on requesting client feedback

There are a variety of platforms and methods available for soliciting feedback, but the best one will depend on the specific needs of the business. As was previously discussed, it's preferable to have many plans in place at once and to try out different approaches to see which ones yield the greatest results. Keep in mind the following main points:

• Customer reviews aren't done for no reason; they actually aid other shoppers.

• Maintain sincerity and avoid appearing insincere.

• Maintain brevity in your email conversations. According to the copywriting psychology theory of "the faster the read, the easier the process seems," the quicker the email reads, the better.

• Encourage your customers to submit feedback by streamlining the process for them to do so (including using short, easy-to-remember links for printed materials).

• Keep in mind that your clients will gladly provide feedback.

• React to both positive and negative feedback.

You need a regular flow of high-quality reviews to maintain your credibility, search engine rankings, and eventually, your cash. So, use these guidelines to quickly put together an effective review plan.

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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Red Bank, NJ, Westport, CT, and everywhere in between. We service businesses with marketing strategies, digital marketing, social media, and consultations.

Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com

Phone: NJ: (732) 802-6205 // CT: (203) 429-9671