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How to Encourage Customers to Write Reviews: 6 Powerful Tips

How to Encourage Customers to Write Reviews: 6 Powerful Tips

January 19, 20236 min read

When making a purchase, customers tend to rely on the experiences of others and prefer products that have been tried and tested. This is why customer reviews and ratings are so important in the decision-making process.

Can you recall a time when a positive review influenced your choice to buy or not buy a product or service?

Customer reviews, whether in the form of star ratings, written feedback, or both, are an essential tool for businesses as they:

  1. Help establish a positive reputation for the brand

  2. Affect how customers perceive the product - products with high customer ratings are perceived as more reliable

  3. Reduce the cost of acquiring new customers.

Obtaining positive reviews from customers can be a difficult task, but this article provides six practical and effective methods that can be immediately implemented to encourage customers to leave feedback.

6 Ways to Get Customers to Leave Reviews

When attempting to acquire reviews, it's important to first take stock of your current status.

  1. Consider if you have recently begun gathering reviews or if you have a strong foundation of established feedback.

  2. Consider if your business offers personalized services or standardized products.

Keeping these factors in mind while implementing the strategies outlined in this article will help in acquiring reviews.

1. One simple yet effective method is to simply ask customers for reviews after a sale has been made.

Asking customers for reviews may seem straightforward, but it can be an effective method for acquiring feedback.

When you are confident in the quality of your products or services and provide excellent customer service, customers will likely be willing to leave a positive review or rate their experience.

The timing of when to ask for reviews can vary depending on the product. For example, a company selling clothing may want to wait for 15-20 days for customers to use the product before requesting a review, whereas a company selling perishable goods may want to ask for a review sooner.

Additionally, if you offer a physical service, it may be beneficial to ask for a review right after the service has been completed and the customer is satisfied.

If you are concerned that asking for reviews in person may be uncomfortable, you can also send an SMS or email with links to your website where customers can leave reviews or display a QR code in your store or on business cards that directs customers to review sites such as Google or Facebook.

This can help boost your average star rating.

2. Send a Follow-Up

Following up with customers after their initial request for a review can be an effective way to increase feedback, as customers may be busy or easily distracted by interacting with other brands.

One way to do this is to send a follow-up email reminding customers to leave a review, which is particularly easy for eCommerce businesses who can automate this process as part of their review funnel.

Additionally, sending periodic SMSs or posting on social media to encourage reviews can also be effective.

However, it's important to keep in mind that repeatedly sending follow-up emails or messages can be perceived as annoying and it's best to limit the number of follow-ups to three or less.

3. Feature Reviews

Promoting customer reviews on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, as well as your company website, can help to increase the likelihood of others leaving reviews.

Additionally, using tools like the LeadTalker social proof widget to showcase reviews can also give customers a sense of validation, which may further encourage them to leave reviews.


4. Personalize Service and Give Context 

The review process doesn't have to be purely transactional. Customers are more likely to review your business if they feel a personal connection to it.

To make the customer feel important, try to personalize your service or product. This increases the chances of them leaving a review, especially if you run a smaller or newer local organization. By developing a personal rapport with customers, you can build a sense of loyalty and engagement.

Additionally, if people understand the importance of user reviews for your business and future potential customers, they are more likely to write them. You can help educate them by sending a personalized note or personal video, explaining the value of their review.

Our advice is to keep it simple and grateful. Let the customers know how much you value their reviews and how it helps you build and strengthen your brand. In turn, this will provide customers with better and more personal experiences.

Once you secure a review, remember to respond with a sincere "thank you." Some business owners will even give an incentive like gift cards in exchange for Google reviews, for example. Customers who genuinely like your business will be understanding and support you if you have invested enough time building a connection with them.

5. Using Automation

Automating the review process can save a lot of time and effort for businesses. Individually asking each customer for a review or manually sending follow-up emails can be difficult to manage.

Manually managing the process is prone to human error and negligence. Automated software that links directly to your CRM can help you fast-track the process and get more star reviews and ratings for your products.

For example, you can automate sending emails (and follow-up emails) every time a customer purchases your product or service. This will make it easy for customers to leave a review without having to be reminded multiple times.

Another option to consider is an online booking system. Your customers can book appointments through a portal and automatically receive a request to give a review once completed. Given that their experience is fresh in their minds, customers are more likely to leave good reviews.

6. Claim Your Business Online

One of the biggest reasons you might not be getting reviews is because your business does not have a page on Google, Yelp, or Facebook. Without a page on these popular review sites, it can be difficult for customers to find your business and leave a review.

Claiming your business on third-party review sites makes it easier for customers to find and identify your business, encouraging them to leave reviews. This is an important step in building your online presence and reputation.

Keep in mind that there are many third-party review sites on which you can claim your business, and their popularity varies by country and industry. For example, TripAdvisor is a helpful site if you're in the travel industry, while Zillow is a reputable real estate review site. It's important to research which review sites are most popular in your industry and location, and to claim your business on those sites.

The Conclusion on Requesting Customer Reviews

The 2022 Local Consumer Review Survey states that 98% of people read online reviews and 84% of customers said online reviews are important or extremely important for service-based businesses. This highlights the significance of online reviews for businesses.

However, you don't need to have a large marketing budget or a detailed management strategy to encourage customers to write reviews. Simple and cost-effective strategies can be effective as well.

LeadTalker can help you improve your online reputation through reviews and referrals on sites like Google and Facebook. See how LeadTalker works and experience the benefits for yourself!

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