Word of mouth marketing is everything in the business world of today. Most people will use product reviews when deciding whether to make a purchase or not. You need to go out of your way to get as many positive reviews as possible if you are going to grow your business.
But getting them isn’t always easy.
Don’t Wait
A lot of companies prefer the organic approach. They will simply wait for the reviews to come in. While this can work in some cases, it’s not necessarily going to work. The fact is most people will not write reviews unless prompted. If you wait for organic reviews, you are leaving a lot of money on the table.
You need a concentrated campaign.
Ask for Them
There’s no great secret to obtaining product reviews. First of all, you need to ask people. You’re offering high-risk merchant services and have a mailing list at your disposal with customers who are, presumably, happy with your product. You already have a target audience, and most of them have already been convinced by your great product.
Send out a reminder for a review one or two weeks after making an online sale. It’s exactly the same strategy Amazon uses, and for them it has paid in dividends.
Set Up an Advanced Review Team
Have you ever noticed that whatever someone is selling, it seems to gain lots of reviews fast?
Unless you’re Coca-Cola or Microsoft, this is not something that’s going to happen naturally. Many companies set up advanced reviewer teams. In exchange for a free product, customers are encouraged to write an honest review as soon as the product is released.
Not only can this lead to a positive reputation, but it can help you grasp some initial momentum.
Never Pay
It may be tempting to pay for reviews, but as Amazon’s campaign against fake reviewers demonstrates it’s only a matter of time before you get caught. Say for example you are selling a book.
If your reviews are found to be bogus, you are going to see your brand’s reputation destroyed. If an author paid for fake reviews, who’s to say that what they are writing in their book is genuine?
It’s simply not worth the risk.
Negative Reviews are a Good Thing
In this scenario, you are selling the products through your online store and someone posts a horrible review. This is your worst nightmare because it hurts your star rating. But you should see this as a good thing.
Customers are suspicious of any product that has a perfect score. You need the occasional negative review to break up the slew of good comments. It’s unnatural that everyone is going to like you, so don’t fear criticism embrace it and you will generate more trust.
Obtaining positive reviews takes no special formula. It simply requires you to be bold and to ask your most loyal customers. Most will be happy to do it, even if you do have to give away some free samples or offer them some exclusive discounts.
How will you go about getting reviews today?