As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air! And one of the most rewarding things about running your own business is when clients and customers fall in love with your brand. Take a moment to think about what your clients love most about your products and services.
When we love something, we shout it from the rooftops. Are your clients doing the same for you? Here’s why it’s so important for you to encourage your customers to share their love for your company with online reviews.
Reviews engage your customers.
Your customers (and potential customers) use review platforms to share their experiences with others...and with you. Reviews create an opportunity for you to directly and publicly thank your customers and build long-lasting connections. Every review is an opportunity to respond to feedback and learn about how customers experience what your business has to offer. We may be talking about love here, but even negative reviews can be turned into a positive experience and earn you lifelong customers.
Reviews increase your customer base.
When a potential customer sees positive reviews about you, they are more likely to choose your business over your competitors. The positive reviews your customers share about your business are proven to get you even more business. Online reviews are like having a ton of personal recommendations right at your fingertips. You may be surprised to learn that 84% of people trust online reviews as much as they would a personal recommendation. That means when it comes to online reviews, people are just as likely to trust ratings as they are their best friend. That’s an awesome tool to have on your side when it comes to bolstering your business.
Reviews improve customer retention and reputation.
No matter the size of your business, your reputation is everything. There’s a saying I’ve heard over the years that has always stuck with me: “a happy customer is going to tell 3 people. An unhappy customer is going to tell 10 people” -- and with social media, it’s more like 10,000 people. If you receive a negative review, personally reach out to the customer and address the situation. Address your failures and make things right. More often than not, people understand that mistakes happen and you can turn this negative situation into a positive experience. Even though people will see that negative review (amongst many positive ones), they will notice your commitment to making things right and improving.
Reviews enhance internal business practices.
So the negative reviews are never fun to read, but they can help you address issues you may be having in your business or even help you properly acknowledge what your team is doing right. Customer feedback and reviews allow you to see a different perspective of what is going on with your business so you can adjust practices accordingly when common themes emerge.
Online reviews give your SEO a boost.
SEO can be tough to master and online reviews can help boost your search engine ranking. When your business receives consistent, positive reviews, search algorithms prioritize your business listing and website.
No matter which way you look at it, reviews are beneficial for your business. It’s important to consider them in your marketing efforts and to ask your customers to share the love! If you need some help getting started, we are here to help! Just click here to contact one of our experts and our team will help get those positive reviews rolling in!
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