Asking for reviews: The Why and the How

Asking for reviews Google LinkedIn Facebook

Reviews on your website and social media channels can be a great way to show validation for your product or service, but asking for reviews is often difficult to do. You want to engage with customers at a point where they are most likely to be satisfied or even excited by your brand.

There can be an art to engaging customers in a way that has them complete a review, since the reality is, there probably isn’t anything in it for them. There is also importance to having reviews for business to business dealings. If you are working with other businesses, you should be making an effort after jobs are completed to write them reviews or testimonials.

Why you should want reviews

When potential customers are looking at you online, this space can add validation to their purchasing decision and prove to them that customers have been happy with buying from you in the past. Honest reviews that are critical of elements that other shops may be considering can even tip the scales in your favour.

How to manage negative reviews

Don’t delete them unless they are rude or personally insulting. It can be hard to read critical feedback on ourselves and our business offering, but it can also assist us in working out areas of improvement. The other reality is that some customers are just difficult and your ability to handle them with care and understanding can actually help to prove to other potential customers that if things go wrong you will be there to help them.

Most people have at one point or another had to return something to a store and how we are handled can have a huge impact on how we perceive the business and speak about them into the future.
This is just as true digitally except you often have an opportunity to showcase your side to the story.
It might seem better to delete the negative reviews. Keep your average score up and hide anything that is displeasing about your brand. This may work. It might also cause potential customers to believe you are hiding something if they feel you are big enough or sold enough product that there would be some critical feedback.

Facebook recommendation The Measured Marketer

If things need to be resolved then try to move the conversation from public space such as email or preferably a phone call or in person.

  1. Treat all your customers with respect
  2. Take difficult customers as an opportunity to show potential customers how you resolve issues
  3. Move complicated issues off public spaces

Reviews Facebook

How to write a review

The other half of this equation is writing reviews for other businesses and people. It can help in several ways including

  1. Makes you more visible to the public
  2. Reminds people you are working with that they should give you a positive review

Facebook – First you need to head to the page of the business you would like to write a recommendation for e.g. The Measured Marketer
Once you are on their page you will see Liked, Following and then Recommend.

Facebook recommendation The Measured Marketer write Reviews

A box will pop up and it is time for you to write a little recommendation. When you have an opportunity to rate with stars, be mindful of how averages work and if you give someone a 4 just because you thought “they could have been better” think about how that impacts the business. That 5-star review could change someones whole business for the better.

Google My Business The Measured Marketer Reviews

Google My Business – To find a business on google it is as easy as heading to Google.com and searching for the business. If they have Google My Business registered (they should) then on the right-hand side their business listing should appear and at the bottom is a button to write a review.

LinkedIn – Doesn’t currently have a function for company recommendations but it does have this feature for people. This can be a brilliant space to work in if you are a B2B business or even just working with suppliers, contractors or other employees, to write something nice (and true) about working together.

Still not 100% sure or want a little more strategic help with your marketing? That’s what we do!
Contact me (Jacqui Daley)and the team:  0449 845 595 or email: jacqui@themeasuredmarketer.com.au
Or admin@themeasuredmarketer.com.au