“Love working with BW Productions! The crew and staff are personable, fun and creative!” - Cherish R. → Customer reviews like this one can win over potential leads and drive more traffic to your company's website. The best part, they’re free! 

There are many ways to use your customer reviews BUT how do you get them? This blog will cover: 

• How to solicit high quality customer reviews.
• How to utilize them to earn more business. 
• How to convert them into high quality testimonials you can use in your marketing. 

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Which Review App Should I Use? 

Choosing which review platform to solicit customer reviews on will depend on your type of business and how many reviews you are naturally receiving on each.

If you already have a great Google Reviews rating then soliciting Yelp reviews may be the best option.

If you're lacking reviews overall, target the app most relevant to your target market and business.

Let's breakdown the most popular review sites and which are best for your business. See your business type on a few? Good. Your business should have a great rep across the web.

Google Reviews: Best for All Businesses 

Start at Google, their rating's are likely the first thing customers see. If your Google review rating is low (or non-existent) start asking for customer reviews here first. Make a goal for 30 and over 4-star averages.

Yelp: Best for Local Businesses 

For those small local-businesses, focus on Yelp first. It can be harder to get a higher rating on Yelp, so aim for a 3 star or above. Yelp has a unique culture of locals sharing recommendations with friends and neighbors, use this to your advantage! 

• Businesses Include: Restaurants & Cafes, Local Shops (Boutiques, Souvenir/Gift Stores, Candy/Toy Store, etc.), Beauty Salons & Spas, and Auto Repair Shops.

Amazon Reviews: Best for E-commerce businesses 

Amazon sellers, your review rating will make or break your sales. If your majority of sales are on Amazon, put your efforts here first. Get these reviews and then put them on your website if you're transitioning to direct sales.

• Businesses Include: E-commerce stores, Authors, Product manufacturers, etc. 

TripAdvisor: Best for Travel & Hospitality Businesses 

Want to boost your business in the competitive world of hospitality? A stellar TripAdvisor rating is your golden ticket. Whether you're running a hotel, guiding tours, or serving up delicious meals, a strong online presence is crucial. So, let's make sure your TripAdvisor reviews shine!

Facebook Reviews: Best for Community-Oriented Businesses

Facebook Reviews is a great place for businesses that find customers/supporters on Facebook! This includes: some text

• Community-Focused Businesses 
• Non-Profits 
• Local Services 
• Small Retail Stores

Industry Specific Platforms: Best for Niche Businesses 

• If you work in a niche industry that has its own review platform, focus on getting reviews there as well. For Example
• Zocdoc for Healthcare Providers, Angi for Home Services, Glassdoor for employers, Houzz for Home Design & Renovation, etc. 

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How to Deal With Negative Reviews 

Don't make the mistake of ignoring negative reviews. Responding to reviews can build brand credibility and protect your reputation. Maybe the review feels ridiculous. Politely reply and explain your company's point-of-view to help potential customers know you care. It can also lead to a deeper offline conversation with that person for a resolution.

Do’ and Don’ts of responding to negative reviews 

• DO take the time to analyze your POV and the customer's.
• DO respond as quickly as possible. You don’t want potential customers to see an unanswered negative review.
• DON’T be defensive. Respond politely, empathetically, and with a solution to the problem if possible. 
• DO respond to the complaint internally as well. Take whatever action steps necessary to analyze the problem referenced in the review and even fix it. 
• DON’T write an essay. Keep your reply short and sweet, even if the negative review is a paragraph with multiple points it is best to keep your reply short. This will demonstrate your company's professionalism and help point out the irrationality of the ranting reviewer. 
• DO sign your name. If you are a manager, owner, or social media manager end your response with your name and position. This builds trust and credibility with other readers as it personalizes your business and shows there’s real people at your company trying their best to provide value. 

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Getting More High-Quality Customer Reviews

The first step to getting high-quality customer testimonials & reviews is to ask! After every job, reach back out, follow up and ask for a review. Customers who enjoyed your service will be happy to leave a positive review. You might be surprised by the feedback you get.

First, choose where you'd like the review. Write a short thank you message to the customer for their business and ask them to leave a review. Include a link to the app you'd like them to use.

If you don't already collect customer info through your sales process, start with a few options: rewards program, sending e-receipts, starting a newsletter, discounts for those that enter their contact info, etc. 

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Making The Most of Reviews

You've go the reviews, no make them work for you! You can re-utilize these reviews by putting them on your website, turning them into testimonials, including them in ads, and even posting on LinkedIn or Facebook to thank specific customers for their business and positive reviews.  

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How to Turn Reviews Into Testimonials

You have great reviews and enthusiastic customers. Leverage that. Text is good, but that enthusiasm and tone can be hard to capture over text. Asking repeat customers to do a testimonial video creates a multi-sensory authenticity that potential customers appreciate.

In our increasingly fabricated world people are drawn to authenticity. There is nothing more authentic your business can do than having real customers represent you potential customers. 

To find customers that are willing to do testimonials send a follow up message to all customers that leave a review asking them to do a testimonial. Consider offering an incentive for a testimonial like a free discount or products. If you don't want to give customers an incentive that's fine! We work with companies every week who's customers do the testimonial videos for free because of their positive experiences.

Once you have your testimonials you can incorporate them a few ways:

Internal: 

• Inter cut customer testimonial onto your businesses onboarding videos. This will help your recent hires to see the impact you create and will increase their motivation to help customers. 
• Keep a record of your customer testimonials for employees to view. Managers can go back and watch these testimonials to see what they did right and double down on these aspects to increase overall customer satisfaction. 

External: 

• About Us Video: Using customer testimonials in your about us video is a great way to represent the company and the impact it’s had. About Us Videos can be used as a social media ad and on the landing page to your website. 
• Advertising: You can cut together a myriad of different advertisements utilizing your customer’s testimonials.
•  “Bare bones”: Have you customer record their testimonial themselves using their cell phone camera held vertically as if they were taking a selfie. Ask them to walk outside while they do this for good lighting. You can cut these into  TikToks and Facebook/Instagram reels and use the videos as advertisements.

Conclusion 

Reviews, leverage them to build credibility, attract new customers, and improve your services. Know where to ask, how to handle feedback, and watch your business soar. Positive reviews can boost your reputation and drive sales, while negative feedback offers valuable insights for improvement. Testimonials can be an incredible way to capitalize on positive reviews for internal or marketing use. Don't miss out on this powerful tool. Start asking, listening, and using reviews to elevate your business!

If you want high quality customer testimonials that can be used for your social media and advertisements, sign up for a call with us at this link.