15 June Best Ways to Ask for Reviews June 15, 2021 By sma Business Tips, Marketing, Social Media business growth, Google, Google My Business, networking, SEO 0 BEST WAYS TO ASK FOR REVIEWS June 15, 2021 | Business Tips, Marketing, Social Media | networking, business growth, Google, Google My Business, SEO By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.'s SEO and Marketing Specialist It can’t be stressed enough how essential review gathering is to forming a strong presence for your business online. Living in the digital age, you have to take advantage of it or risk being left behind. Especially as younger generations, namely Millennials, are hitting the age where they’re ready to buy a home, reviews are a necessity. If it’s been a while since you’ve marketed for reviews or if you haven’t ever started, here are a few ways to get the ball rolling. Why do you need to stay connected? So how important are reviews in someone’s final decision? Great question! While Millennials do tend to be more plugged in, the general statistic for people that make a choice on who to do business with based on reviews alone is over 90%. Over 80% trust them like a personal recommendation, and nearly 70% decide whether you’re a quality business in as little as 3 reviews. That means you don’t have much time to make a great first impression. Not only are positive reviews important, but stockpiling them is as well. If you only have low-star reviews, a handful of reviews, or none at all, it could cause potential clients to pass you by in favor of an inspector that appears more experienced. Ask with a personalized note. While technology helps in a lot of ways, a certain sense of connection is lost. A handwritten note can add that missing appreciation along with that personal feel. Thank the customer for choosing you and let them know how much you value their business. Also mention how you’d be happy to work together in the future! They’ll feel like they’re a priority in your business, creating a strong customer relationship. Get a verbal commitment. People are much more likely to follow through on something after you ask for their word. If you can, get a customer to verbally promise that they’ll leave you a review. It’s a simple psychological trick that makes people do what they say they will! Getting a clear answer will mean you aren’t left in limbo as well. You won’t have to waste time worrying about whether or not they’ll leave you a review, which takes focus off your business. Automate your review process when possible. To make the process smoother and take one more thing off your plate, automation is your best friend. It’ll take care of the guesswork of tracking what’s been sent out and what still needs to be. You can set up notifications that’ll allow you to see when you get a new review to quickly respond to it. Maintaining an active listing is a great way to put your best foot forward! Are you interested in automating your review process? Contact Zach Vesper at Zach.Vesper@npiweb.com to learn more! About the Author Zach Vesper, SEO and Marketing Specialist Zach brings more than six years of SEO experience to the table, making him your go-to web optimization specialist--he knows how to help your website reach the first page! He's always more than happy to answer your questions about all things Google. Zach is a film buff, an old-fashioned connoisseur and an avid reader of science fiction. When he’s not working, he’s hanging out with his wife, Stepha, and basset hound, Frank. Comments are closed.