It’s no secret that online reviews can make or break a business! What your customers have to say about your service is ultimately what helps other people decide whether to go for your company – or a similar competitor.
Think about it – how often do you steer away from a business if TripAdvisor only has a 2* rating? On the other hand, how confident would you be if it was a 5* rating?
We know that your business is a 5* company – but do you know how to really use that to your advantage? Let’s jump into why creatively utilizing your online reviews can really help your business find success.
Visibility
The first point to make is that maintaining a 5* rating across a variety of platforms will drastically increase your online visibility. Customers will understand that you make an effort to impress any potential customers, and you may even be recognized as a top business in your area!
There are plenty of review sites out there; Yahoo, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, Yelp… And yes, customers really do check these out, so make sure that you’re doing everything you can to secure those 5 stars.
Use negativity to your advantage
It’s inevitable: at some point throughout your career, you will end up with a 1* review or a pretty nasty comment. Maybe even both. Chances are that it won’t even be your fault!
Now, at the time, it won’t feel great. Nobody likes to hear that they’ve done a bad job, especially on such a public platform; the good news, though, is that you can turn this around, using the negative comments to your own advantage.
One of the best things about review websites is that they allow you (the business owner) to ‘bite back’, potentially winning back the trust of even your biggest critic. The trick is to directly address their concerns; acknowledge their dissatisfaction, apologize and offer to make it right – even if you’ve done nothing wrong.
This can be a very powerful method of earning a customer’s trust. When done correctly, the previously unsatisfied customer will feel compelled to change their review – other customers will see that you, as a brand, have gone out of your way to help ONE customer, which will show everybody else that you really do care about your customers!
Just remember: there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
Using your reviews to market your business
Once you’ve started to pull in those sweet 5* ratings, it’s time to use them to grow your reach. There’s absolutely no shame in using your abundance of quality reviews to generate more interest – in fact, it’s openly encouraged!
Many bigger review websites will offer you online exclusives. Things like certificates, plaques, and awards can all be added to your online list of achievements, which can also be used as a tool to help promote your company.
Similarly, your social media reviews are a great way to generate a natural interest in your products or services!
To learn more about how your ratings can impact the success of your business, or if you’re just looking for ways that you can market your business, increasing your online presence, feel free to get in touch.
