Asking for Reviews Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult When You Use Situations to Your Advantage.
We all know by now that reviews can be instrumental in your business’ success. One of the problems associated with getting reviews is just that- actually getting your customers to take the time to review you online. Business owners can sometimes have a hard time asking their clients for reviews. You may feel like you are pressuring them into reviewing you, be afraid of them saying no, or even just feel uncomfortable asking for them. However, it doesn’t need to be difficult.
Getting reviews from your clients can actually be pretty easy when you know how to ask for them. There are certain ways to discover whether your clients would be willing to review you or not and help make it easier to ask. When you find yourself preparing to ask customers for reviews, keep these things in mind.
Start a Conversation
Asking for a review out of the blue may be intimidating and even a little risky. You may not know if the customer is even having a good experience if you ask them before understanding how they feel. Starting a conversation with your customers can help break the ice and give you more insight into their experience while also building a relationship that will help you later. This can be anything from asking if they need help, to letting them know you are there to answer any questions they might have.
“Are you finding everything okay? What are you looking for today?”
“Good afternoon, is there something I can help you with?”
Striking up a conversation with your customer can open a dialogue and allow you to better understand their needs. After gaining more information about their experience with your business, you can better identify if they are willing to review you, and you, in turn, gain more confidence in asking them.
Capitalize on Good Experiences
If a client mentions to you that they were extremely satisfied with your business, don’t be afraid to ask them for a review! People who have great experiences with your business are more likely to review you than those who aren’t. Even more, when someone tells you that their experience with your business was a positive one, the chance of them reviewing you goes up. Chances are if they are willing to sing your praises to you, they are willing to sing them to potential customers as well.
Client: “The sink works PERFECTLY now! I haven’t had any issues with it, and you were able to fix it so fast. Thank you!”
You: “I’m so happy to hear that! We love when our clients are satisfied, and we always try our best to make sure the outcome is a positive one. Would you be willing to mention that in a review for us?”
Ask for Reviews Via Email / Text
When asking people in-person isn’t an option or you really feel that asking in person is too much pressure on the customer, you can always ask via an email or a text message. If you choose this route, be sure to make it personal. Adding a personal touch to the message will show your customers that you remembered them as a customer and that you care about whether or not they had a good experience. This can be a short sentence or two that makes you stand out from competitors and shows you are putting time into your responses.
“I really enjoyed you coming into the shop today and I’m looking forward to seeing how our product worked for you! Would you be willing to take a few seconds and review us? We would really appreciate it.”
Most companies use stagnant language when asking for reviews, which can sound robotic. Clients often become numb and desensitized to this type of approach. With a personal touch to your request, you can catch their eye and show you care about their opinion of your business at the same time, increasing the chance of them reviewing you.
Sometimes, the hardest part of getting reviews can just be asking your customer. Keeping these tips in mind will help you discover which clients are more open to reviewing you and help you craft better review requests that are more personal for past and current clients. After all, you don’t get what you don’t ask for!