We have talked a lot about the positive effects that customer reviews can generate for a business. Reviews are the number one marketing tactic as far as establishing the trust of potential customers in a product or service. They are also the best way to predispose a customer towards your business, whether you buy equipment from business stationary. The vast majority of large cities offer plenty of opportunity for businesses looking to gather reviews for marketing purposes. Let's take a look at some ways to get your customers to write them.
Make sure their experience is positive!
Every business needs to make sure that their customer is satisfied from the moment of first contact right through to their use of the product or service in question. This is not only good business, it is also very important if you want your customer to write a review that will help market your business.
Let's say that you are trying to sell your home. Toronto for instance, has a lot of this type of property for sale, and your customer is likely to know that going in. Make them feel as though their property is your top concern, and make the entire transaction as easy as possible (hook them up with your contacts, etc.). They will remember the services that you provide to them, and the extra effort that you made. When you ask them to write a review for you, they will feel as though they should simply because of the effort you put in.
The extra effort approach does not only work in real estate, but in every other business. The best way to guarantee a review is through good customer service.
Be creative
A lot of the time, a customer will write you a good review without even knowing they are doing it, as long as you are creative about it. A fishing guide, for example, may take pictures of his clients at the end of a successful day. That picture in itself is a great customer review; it will be fairly obvious to anyone that the trip was successful and the client happy. A client may send you a picture of them moving into their new home, and asking for a short write up about the experience that day to go with the picture will be totally natural. Real estate companies like this one will always have pictures of 'SOLD' signs, but not all will have pictures of a real family in their new home. This shows potential clients that you are able to make the sale.
Be honest
People don't mind endorsing a business or a product that they appreciate, but they won't like to be tricked. If you want to get a review endorsing your business website, make sure you tell your customers that they are writing them for marketing purposes. Generally, happy customers don't mind helping out companies which served them well.
Whether you are marketing art work or houses for sale, customer reviews are the best way to attract new business. Getting customers to write reviews endorsing your business is fairly easy to do; you just have to follow basic business principle. Be honest and creative, and make sure you do your best every time.
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