Customer reviews can make or break your local business and with the growth of online review sites like Yelp, it is easier than ever for people to share their opinions about your business.
Most businesses don’t really do anything to proactively get more reviews, but there are some things you can do to get more positive reviews. At the same time, you should also be aware of some guidelines.
Some tips are as follows:
1. Yelp – Don’t ask people to leave reviews on Yelp. They are strict about not having fake or solicited reviews and their filters will screen out your reviews if you try to game the system.
2. Don’t offer incentives for a positive review. This can turn off customers and people who do leave reviews on their own.
3. Send people links to where they can leave reviews. If you have their emails in your mailing list, then you can include the link casually at the bottom.
4. Link to review sites and include QR codes on things like business cards and on paraphernalia in your store. Linking to review sites on your own website and Facebook page can help too. Instead of telling people to leave reviews, you can just say “Check out our reviews on Yelp” or something like that.
5. If you’re going to remind people to leave reviews, do it quickly so they don’t forget or lose interest.
6. Monitor review sites for comments and respond to them. Stay cool and professional and don’t get upset over negative reviews. Take opinions into account and figure out ways to improve your business.
