When it comes to deciding who to do business with, people trust referrals the most. And what if they don’t have a referral? Then people trust reviews. 95% of people make purchasing decisions based on reviews. We’ll teach you how to turn your customers into your most effective marketing team.

A 5-Star Rating is a Must-Have for New or Unbranded Businesses

When you are first starting out, this is when your reputation matters the most. But, this is also when you have the best opportunity to ask for reviews. If you already have thousands of 5-star ratings, people might not go out of their way to write you a stellar review because they aren’t of the mindset that you need it. 

As a lesser known business, you can tell your customers (if they are satisfied with your work) that you would really appreciate them letting others know about you. This is even more effective when someone:

1. Asks them personally

2. Makes it easy for them

Make sure to ask for the review. If you don’t get it right away, make sure to have a system for following up. Most people will eventually write you that review. They just have to find the right moment and sometimes need the reminders. 

What If I Already Have Lots of Good Reviews?

If you already have lots of reviews, great job! But never become complacent. You never know when a new company might enter the scene and wipe the floor with reviews. Your competitor may get a solid system in place for getting reviews. For instance, a big brand has an advantage because they simply have more customers they can ask. So, never stop. Reward the people in your business who get those reviews. At this stage, when a business already has positive reviews the consumer’s motivation is to give proper credit to the person providing outstanding service. 

What If I Have Bad Reviews? 

If you already have some bad reviews, don’t beat yourself up over them. It happens. Most bad reviews can be resolved and should be. Because there are those who often sort reviews and specifically search for the bad ones. When they do this, they are looking for red flags. Do your best to make sure you are not the red flag. Most of the time this means, to wait before you respond. No matter how right you are and how wrong they are make sure your emotions are not on display. Also, always call the customer first before responding in writing. Remember that people are often less forgiving when they are behind a computer. And hopefully, if all is resolved, they will remove or change their rating. If they don’t, just simply ask them (in person) if they will remove it. Most of the time, they will. 

Reap the Rewards 

Once you have established a stellar reputation in your market, you will notice a few things right away. 

1. You’ll close more sales.

2.  You’ll get more calls

3.  Your cost per lead will go down (people won’t feel the need to shop around).

4.  You’ll be featured in the top of the search results more often

5. You’ll be able to raise your prices more easily if you need to. 

Take Away

I hope this post helps you to create an action plan to rise your way to the top in your market. I can say with confidence that our clients with the most reviews have a system in place and they do see a domino effect of success.

King Digital is in the business of helping other businesses succeed. Whether, it’s by showcasing their reputation or their products and services, we have become experts in paid search management, search engine optimization, local search optimization and social media advertising.  We have been in your shoes and we know how to get you the leads you need. Here is some advise that we can give based on our experiences as business owners.