In today’s online world, customer reviews can make all the difference when it comes to building trust, attracting new customers, and boosting your online reputation. Whether you’re running a grocery store, convenience store, or restaurant, it’s important to have a solid stack of reviews if you want to thrive. Here are 5 best practices to help you score more and how to use them to create buzz around your business.
1. Create consistency.
Ensuring your business delivers a consistent customer experience is crucial. Happy customers are more likely to leave glowing reviews or share their positive experiences with people they know. On the flip side, a negative interaction can cause a ripple effect since customers rely on reviews to form opinions about your business. In fact, almost half of consumers in North America use online customer reviews to search for information about a brand, or products, and 31% say they trust what online reviews have to report. So, the more consistency you maintain in your business, the higher the chances of receiving positive reviews.
Here are a couple of ways you can stay consistent:
- Establish a process. This helps maintain a routine your staff can follow in how tasks are performed, ensuring an experience your customers will enjoy.
- Monitor customer reviews by actively listening and replying to customer feedback.
- Make sure your menu items are presented the same way someone orders, so that customers can look forward to the same taste, size, and presentation every time.
[Source: Article. July 2022]
2. Respond to all reviews, no matter what.
When your customers take the time to leave a review, it’s important to acknowledge their effort. Responding to both positive and negative reviews shows that you value customer feedback, and it can work wonders for your business.
People who leave great reviews can help you attract more customers to your business – like bees to honey. Show your appreciation by thanking them and letting them know you value their kind words. On the other hand, negative reviews may sting a bit, but by addressing them head-on, it can be an opportunity for growth. Respond by apologizing and offering a solution. This shows potential customers you care about their experience and are willing to go the extra mile to make things right. By actively engaging with all kinds of reviews, you can level up your business’s reputation and credibility – which can lead to more sales, a growing customer base, and a positive impact on your brand.
3. Reward those who review.
By offering enticing prizes or special offers that thank customers for leaving reviews, you’ll likely see more of them jumping at the chance to share their thoughts. It can be as simple as offering a chance to win a gift card, a free product, or a discount on their next purchase.
You can also promote these rewards and announce the winners through your social media channels or website. This creates excitement for your brand online and gives customers a reason to share their experience, while also encouraging them to leave a review the next time around.
4. Spread the word on social.
Using social media is a great way to attract new customers and engage with your existing ones. By using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you can post enticing photos, respond to comments, and share relevant content with a little reminder for your followers to review their experience.
Another way you can entice customers to interact with your socials is to create unique hashtags related to your business. This will help you connect with new customers looking for new places — and it’s super easy to do. Simply use specific keywords to create them and encourage people to use them when posting their reviews. Hashtags can help create a sense of community, and the more customers feel connected to your brand, the more likely they are to leave positive reviews. Plus, guess where people go to discover new places? 56% of people search online and 24% look through social media using keywords, meaning there’s a great opportunity for your business to be discovered online and draw in new customers.
Want more social tips? Check out our guide to creating game-changing social media here.
[Source: Article. June 2023]
5. Put your reviews front and centre.
Some customers won’t leave a review because they don’t want to spend time learning or searching how to do it. The easier you make it for your customers to leave one, the better your chances of landing more. Consider placing a couple of reviews right on your website. You can even add an entirely new page dedicated to them or use call-to-action buttons and pop-ups on your site that lead to your Google reviews.
By leaving a lasting impression on customers, not only will they return, but they’ll spread the word. Providing a consistent customer experience, enhancing your online reputation, and making reviews accessible all play a role in boosting your business. So, encourage your customers to share their experiences and watch those reviews pour in.
