Getting customers through your doors in today?s marketplace is really tough.
The business landscape is competitive, the economy is uncertain, and people are really picky about where they spend their money.
If trying to figure out how to make your small business stand out online is stressing you out, you?re not alone.
One of the most effective ways to build trust, rank in local search, and generate the word-of-mouth marketing crucial to your success is to get real, genuine reviews of your business.
An Econsultancy article simply titled "Online consumers trust real people, not companies" says it all: ?Ninety percent of consumers online trust recommendations from people that they know, with 70 percent trusting the opinions posted online by unknown users.?
Besides just trusting in what others say online, 70 percent of Americans also say they look at product reviews before making a purchase, according to author Jim Lecinski in Winning The Zero Moment of Truth.
So, how do you get consumer reviews? It?s easier than you think. You just need to be proactive.
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Create Review-Ready Business Profiles
Your contact details don?t say much about your business. Add as much real, relevant information about your business as possible to your profile on review sites: recent photos, up-to-date information about the owners and staff, your hours, menu, products, and any information that will help consumers write better reviews and/or help your business stand out when people are searching for businesses in your category.
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Be Prepared to Ask For Reviews
Your loyal customers are your biggest ally. They know the value that your locally owned business adds to the community and how it benefits the local economy. And they?re willing to help you succeed.
Unfortunately, both consumers and businesses often have the view that the most vocal reviewers are generally those that are upset with a business. But you?re not doing yourself any favors because you might be afraid to find out what others have to say about your business.
?Businesses should encourage reviews wherever and whenever they can, especially when they?ve [individuals] been identified as happy customers or evangelists,? says Formic Media founder and President Kent Lewis, who specializes in search and social media for small businesses.
Educate your customers on the importance of writing reviews, whether enthusiastic or simply constructive, because any reviews are better than none?they lend credibility to your business. But, it all starts with you asking your customers for reviews.
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Encourage Customer Feedback
Formic Media Vice President John McPhee offers the following suggestions to get reviews:
- Don?t wait?ask while the customer is in-store. Educate your staff on how to do this pleasantly and politely. (Suggestion: have an iPad, tablet, mobile device, or computer handy for reviews as those solicited at the time of service see high completion rates.)
- Include some information on the receipt or in-store collateral directing your customer to preferred review sites.
- Email newsletters can be a great way to ask for reviews since these folks have already expressed interest in your business by signing up for the newsletter.
- Automation of a follow-up email is even better. Send a note saying ?thank you? after a transaction or interaction with links to your profiles on review sites.
- Utilize social media to try to obtain reviews?sometimes just asking is the key (and provide links to the sites you want people to use to review you).
- If you have a sales staff, work with them on a process to ask happy customers for reviews. You can even incentivize your sales staff to ensure they are actually asking the customer.
Ask, ask, ask. It doesn?t matter how you do it, as long as you do!
Encourage your customers to review you on The Localist, Portland's locally owned business directory. (Add your business if it?s not yet listed.) You can also learn more about local search at Neighborhood Notes? first Own Your Ass[ests] workshop, 3 Things Every Small Business Needs to Be Relevant in Local Search, on Sept. 12.?
john tyler chuck elisabeth hasselbeck fran drescher scarlett o hara pat sajak vanna white
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