As a driven consultant I have learned that marketing is not only being result-driven, but it also has a lot to do with the kind of service you provide. I knew many of my clients needed fliers and cards to let their own customers know they need to write reviews, so that is exactly what I created for them. Then there is the website aspect where you need to make sure they have a reviews tab which includes directions on how they can write you a review. There have been other times where I created a video for the client that taught their customers how to write reviews and I posted it on their YouTube channel and website. All these tactics helped my client really see the value of me as their marketing arm. The most valuable tool you can show the business owner is how to email their clients and ask them for reviews, especially if they really enjoyed the place. After all isn’t it all about relationship building?
Relationship building starts when the business owners start to see clients who enjoy their services or products. For example, if you have a store, have a sign close to the register that asks for a review. If you have a machine for your receipts then create a link for your Google Reviews page and ask them to kindly review it at the end of the receipt. As a company we have created many QR codes for our clients so they can easily scan it, and go right to the page and write a review for the business. We suggest you use a link called “Easy Direct” so you can redirect the link later. Sometimes our clients want to change the link inside their QR code but don’t want to reprint the code. This is exactly what the redirect is for. If the business is a restaurant, place the QR code on the takeaway menus. This can be done with a simple sticker. To maximize your time efficiency when using this website, “Easy Direct” will become your new favorite tool!
Then, there are other times when there is an “incentive” tactic that may not work out. Even though you may have a giveaway in place, the customer will disregard it at times. That is why it is important to engage your customer on your website using other methods. A method most commonly used would be, with their permission, copy their testimonial on paper and then publish it. If that is too much, let them know they can email you the testimonial for you to publish.
Now say that you want to use an incentive tactic to get testimonials. We have worked with many clients who wanted to use incentives or giveaways to collect reviews from their clients. For example, I have a hotel business and right next door there is an ice cream shop, so what I do is give them a coupon to the ice cream shop when they write a review on the site. This is my incentive to get them to write a great review for Google Places on the hotel site. When it comes to online marketing you need to think of driving traffic from other places to yours.
Did you know Google Rankings includes: Insider Pages, Merchant Circle and Yelp! Reviews as well? This is why it is best to encourage reviews from other websites as well. There is nothing wrong with diversity when it comes to your reviews, the more the merrier. When you decide to send the reviewer to the page make sure you send them right to the page and not the place/business page. They want to be directed to exactly what you want them to do.
The last thing you will want to do with your clients is remember to follow-up with an email. They may have received one email from you, but remember some people don’t check their emails. Then there are those you may have sent to their junk mail. And of course, there are those that tend to delete emails.
That is a wrap, can you add any more to these? Please comment below.
