In our recent webinar, ‘Unlock the Secret to Get More Online Reviews and Ratings and Tackle the Bad Ones’, our all-star panel offered advice on developing an effective, long-term reputation management strategy. Studies show that at least 92% of consumers read and make buying decisions based on online reviews. This is one aspect of marketing local business owners can’t afford to overlook!
Below are some of the best takeaways from our webinar.
How to Get More Online Reviews
(1) Provide great service. Be a giver, not a taker! Focus on helping customers instead of just trying to make a sale. Keep an eye out for opportunities to go above and beyond what your contract promised.
(2) Ask for feedback. Once you’ve built a great relationship with your customer, there’s no reason why you should hesitate to ask them for feedback. If possible, ask for permission to publish their review on your website.
(3) Leverage email. Email is a great tool for your off season. It keeps you top of mind and can serve as a reminder to leave a review if your customers haven’t already done so. Just make sure to keep your messages relevant and useful—no spam!
(4) Claim your business everywhere. Do this on Google My Business, Yelp, Houzz, Nextdoor, Home Advisor, Angie’s List, etc. The easier it is for your customers to leave a review, the better.
How to Manage Online Reviews
(1) Be personable and authentic. Online conversations can form the basis of a long-term customer relationship. Treat reviewers like people, not just another sale.
(2) Respond promptly. Most review sites display your response time to users. On Yelp, businesses that respond to feedback within 24 hours get four times more quote requests than those that take longer to reply.
(3) Don’t be afraid to use templated responses. This speeds up your response time and helps you stay consistent. Be smart with templates, though—make each final message personal by including specific comments or questions relevant to their review or concern.
(4) Acknowledge and look into negative reviews. Address problems directly, both in public (for the benefit of other customers) and in private (for the benefit of the person who left the bad review). Always make a good-faith effort to sort out the issue raised.
(5) Follow up. Whatever kind of feedback you receive, consider sending a thank-you note that mentions other types of services you can provide for the customer in the future.
Contact Us
The marketing experts at Surefire Local have built a hardworking tool to help local business owners acquire, monitor and respond to online reviews from a single, secure login. Learn all about the Surefire Cloud and how it fits into your online reputation management strategy by calling 888-804-8685 or sending us an email at marketing@surefirelocal.com.