Whether your company has long-embraced customer reviews or is just beginning on its journey, continuously driving current reviews is of the utmost importance.
So the question, of course, is how can we do this? How can we creatively approach our customers and empower them to share their feedback?
When you think about it that way, it’s not quite so simple after all.
Reviews act as social proof. They help you correct your flaws and shortcomings and learn about the features that set your product or service apart. Most importantly, they encourage a transparent and trusting relationship between your brand and the people who matter most – its customers.
Three creative ways to drive user reviews
The following tips will help you approach your customers in a new way, without too much work on your end. A win-win!
Ask on social media – and share after!
If your marketing team isn’t taking advantage of your social media profiles (and the fan base that lives there), then you’re missing out on some valuable feedback.
Look at it this way. If you’ve spent significant time decking out your Facebook business page or building your Twitter following, there’s a good chance you already have an engaged audience on one (or many) of those platforms. Have you considered asking this audience – likely, some of your most loyal customers – to write reviews?
And here’s the best part about this – people are already doing it every single day. Customers regularly turn to social media to share feedback – both positive and negative. Asking somebody to elaborate on the feedback they already shared is an incredibly natural ask, meaning it’s more likely to turn into a review.
And don’t forget that once you gather the reviews, you should share them on those same social profiles! Publicly sharing reviews shows you value the feedback you receive, which means people will be even more likely to share in the future.
“Publicly sharing reviews shows you value the feedback you receive, which means people will be even more likely to share in the future”
Incentivize your customers in a new way
Offering gift cards for reviews is old news.
Okay – maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s certainly been done before. And there are only so many $10 dollar Amazon gift cards one can receive before they start to lose their allure. Trust me – I receive an Amazon Prime package every third day, and I’d still find my limit pretty quickly.
Instead, appeal to the reviewer’s pathos and offer a charitable donation in exchange for their time spent writing a review. The cost to you is the same, but the benefit (to the charity and the reviewer) seems much greater. People like to feel like they’re doing good, and taking ten minutes to write a review is an easy way for them to fulfill that desire. Additionally, the act alone reflects well on your company, and shows that your team values philanthropy.
Whether you choose to partner with a large charity that resonates with just about everybody, or select a few smaller organizations that the reviewer can choose between, offering a donation in exchange for a review is an easy and effective way to gather some new insights.
Identify triggers and ask when the time is right
Whenever you’re asking somebody for their time (in regards to customer reviews – or just about anything else), their current situation will have an impact on whether they’re willing to oblige or not.
For example, you may not get your best conversion rate if you’re asking for customer reviews in-person at an industry trade show. Why? Well, probably because you’re asking people to stop their lap around the conference hall, possibly lose track of the group their walking with, and ultimately, miss out on ten minutes of an event they were enjoying.
If your goal is conversion (which it should be), you’ll need to ask your customers when they’re most likely to say “yes.” This will likely look different depending on the products or services you offer.
If you’re an Amazon seller, it would make sense to ask for a review in the first post-purchase email. To sweeten the deal, you could even include some tips on how to best use the product they bought. Simply set up an email sequence with your marketing automation software and watch the reviews start to trickle in.
On the other hand, say you’re a service provider, and most of your customers come from referrals. The best time to ask an existing customer to write a review may be as soon as they refer a prospect, since it’s clear they’ve already been talking to you! If they’re a big enough fan to send a new customer your way, it’s a safe bet they’d be willing to more formally share that feedback.
Ready, set, review
You’re officially equipped to start driving reviews for your product or service.
But don’t stop there! As you master these methods, start creating your own. When it comes to authentic reviews, you can never have too many.
Claire is the content marketing team lead at G2.com. Hailing from the University of Dayton, Claire found her way back home to Chicago upon joining G2 in May of 2016. An avid writer and eager learner, she discovered a passion for content marketing shortly after joining the company. In her free time, you’ll find Claire practicing calligraphy, seeking out the city’s best BYOB sushi restaurants, and planning her next trip.