One thing is for certain: if you run a business people trust, success will follow suit.
But building trust takes time and although once gained it can reap rewards for years to come, getting new customers to trust you in the first place requires considerable effort.
How can you build a brand customers will trust?
An effective – and free - way to gain confidence quickly is via reviews and testimonials from existing clients.
Why are reviews important to a business?
Some 93% of consumers state online reviews influence their purchase decisions. What’s more, 91% will trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, with data showing customers are willing to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews.
Reviews will also bolster your SEO, as one of the many factors to signal to a search engine that your business has customer trust and visibility.
How do I encourage reviews of my business?
There are plenty of places you can include a ‘Please leave us a review’ call to action on your business’s marketing, such as your team’s email signature, on e-newsletters, via social media posts and of course offline on printed marketing.
Thanking a customer for their business post-purchase is a good place to ask for a review, and you could also include a gift or loyalty discount in gratitude.
It can be beneficial to outline to your customers why they should leave a review too, so they understand the impact their words could have on others in need of your service or product.
What is really important is to establish a rhythmic flow of online reviews, which will not only improve leads, but also protect against the threat of a negative review.
What review sites should I use for my business?
Which sites work best for you – and you don’t just have to pick one – is something I can certainly help with. They’ll all require an element of input from you initially to create a page, with some having additional chargeable services.
Some, like Yelp and Google My Business, are great for businesses where you proximity to your customers matters, such as trades. Others, including Facebook Ratings & Reviews and Trustpilot work for you wherever your customers are.
Whichever review sites suit, I’ll give you my insight on how to get the most out of them. For example, TripAdvisor will rate your business predominantly on three things: quantity, quality and how current your reviews are. So I’ll support you in ticking those boxes so your business ranks highly.
What should I do with customer reviews?
Once you’ve harvested all those glowing testimonials from your happy clients you can make the most of them; adding quotes to social media posts, your website and brochures.
Don’t forget the importance of interacting with your reviewers too. If a client has named themselves in a positive review then a quick ‘thank you’ will go a long way. Equally, if you’ve been left a bad review then a measured response can counter the negativity.
I hope that helps you with some initial considerations on how to start or enhance your customer review sites. They really are a vital tool for building trust of your brand and products, as well as an essential weapon in your marketing armory! Give me a call on 07929 905 229 and I’d be delighted to talk you through how I can support your business as an outsourced marketing manager.
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