How to Ask Customer to Leave Online Reviews

To say that client reviews are powerful is an understatement.

A few sentences in a review tin can have more influence on consumers than an entire website. A difference of 1 star—or even a half-star—can be all information technology takes for a shopper to cull a competitor over you. Not to mention that reviews are the tiptop local SEO ranking gene.

But in lodge to get those sentences or that extra star, you need to ask your customers for reviews. This can feel awkward or self-serving, merely the truth is that people generally love to share their opinions; they just need that extra nudge.

In this guide, I'm going to bear witness yous why and how to ask for customer reviews in a variety of scenarios—with examples and templates to make your life easier!

Table of contents

• Why ask for reviews?
• How to inquire for reviews in person
• How to ask for reviews over the phone
• How to ask for reviews via text
• How to ask for reviews with email
• How to ask for reviews post-buy
• How to ask for reviews with your website
• How to ask vendors for reviews
• How to ask for reviews on social media
  
• How not to ask for reviews
• Final tips on asking for reviews

Why ask for reviews?

You can already attest to the ability of customer reviews from your own shopping experiences. Think nigh the number of times you lot've called a business either because of what its reviews said or merely because information technology had reviews. Or peradventure you were never on the fence at all, because you lot knew exactly what y'all wanted to buy considering you heard great things near it from someone you know.

The fact of the matter is, what other people have to say about your business carries more than weight than what yous accept to say about your business, even if they are complete strangers. Not convinced? Consider these online review stats:

• 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much equally personal recommendations.
• Improving your review star rating by one.5 could equal 13,000 more leads.
• Every one-star increment in a Yelp rating leads to a five-9% increase in revenue.

If that is not plenty to go you to exit your comfort zone and start collecting reviews for your own business, here are some more stats that might requite you the boost you need:

• Consumers are willing. A BrightLocal study showed that 76% of those who are asked to leave reviews go on to do so.
• Consumers find reviews helpful. In a study conducted by Podium, 93% of consumers said that online reviews for local businesses are every bit helpful as product reviews on sites like Amazon.
• Consumers seek out reviews. According to BrightLocal, 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses.

How to ask customers for reviews

Whether yous're looking to go more Google reviews, improve your Yelp ratings, get 5 stars on Facebook, or ramp up your Amazon reviews, there are a diverseness of ways to enquire for them, including:

• In person
• Over the phone (or via text)
• Through your website (ideally, a reviews folio)
• Via e-mail (email blast, personal email, visitor email, e-mail signatures)
• Via social media (direct message or mail service)
• Via thank you lot pages
• On receipts/invoices
• More than

We'll exist roofing all of these and more in this post, but recollect that yous don't have to stick with just one method of asking customers for reviews. In fact, you should take a few strategies running at once to ensure a steady stream of feedback is coming in about your concern. Multiple and recent reviews aid earn yous more than trust from customers and also help your concern to rank higher in search results
.

How to ask for a review in person

Asking for a review in person can be intimidating, but it is the about effective approach. If the opportunity presents itself, seize information technology!

Ask in response to praise

The easiest scenario would be that of a customer who approaches you with unsolicited praise. In this case, express your appreciation for their taking the time to provide the feedback, and then make the suggestion. For example:

Happy customer: [singing your praises]

You lot: That is so great to hear. We really try our best to [do what you lot're beingness praised for]. And give thanks you lot then much for taking the time to share your feedback.

Client: For certain, thank you for providing such great service!

Yous: You know, if you could write what y'all merely said in a review on [platform], that would be awesome. Those kinds of comments really help prospective customers to feel more confident in choosing united states of america.

Customer: Sure!

Y'all: Practise you lot know how to do it?

Create opportunities with conversation

You don't have to wait for a customer to come to you lot to enquire them for a review. Generally yous'll need to strike up a conversation with them that will provide the opportunity. You lot can do so by asking questions about their experience with your store, services, or products upon checkout. Adept questions include:

• Did you detect everything you were looking for today?
• Is this your first time [using the production you're about to buy]?
• How is that [production y'all're purchasing]? I've tried [a like product] but I accept yet to endeavor this 1 for myself.
• I hope you had a good experience with us…anything we could improve or that you liked?

Don't force it

Of import: Don't ask for a review upon a customer's first positive remark about your concern. This will return your conversation ingenuine and you will come off as not caring about their experience only rather just almost getting the review. Reviews improve your reputation, but you won't become any (and your reputation will plummet) if yous don't inquire in the right mode.

Instead, get a read on the client. If their response is brusque and indicative that they don't feel like talking, don't force information technology. If they respond positively and offer more information or feedback, continue the chat. Every bit it comes to a close, ask them for the review. For example:

"Well hey, thanks for the feedback. We love sharing that kind of stuff with potential customers and so they can experience more confident almost choosing united states. If you're comfortable with information technology, it'd be awesome if yous could share any of what you said to me in a [platform name] review."

How to ask clients for reviews over the telephone

If you own or operate a business organisation that is customer back up-heavy, yous and your employees tin find enough of opportunities to ask clients for reviews over the telephone. Merely cull who y'all're asking wisely. If you've only helped a client through a long or difficult problem, it's probably not best to ask them for a review.

Notwithstanding, if you have a self-proclaimed satisfied customer (ideally if they express gratitude for your aid), this is a great time to ask for a review.

"I'm glad we were able to help y'all today and we so appreciate your business. If you lot have the fourth dimension and wouldn't mind, nosotros'd love it if you shared this experience on [review platform of your selection]. People really similar to see that they'll get the support they need should an upshot with our services arise, customer accounts, of form, are the all-time style to show that."

You'll make your customer experience appreciated and valued which non only increases customer loyalty but volition also increase the chances of them actually giving yous that review.

How to ask for reviews via text

Text message communication is increasingly popular for businesses today, and you have two options if you lot become this route.

Personal request

Business organisation: Howdy Mike. We but completed your jump lawn cleanup. Looks great, bring on some rain!

Mike: Appreciate it. Can you email me the invoice?

Business concern: You bet, I'll send it tonight. Subsequently looking over the thousand, I'd love to get your feedback in a Google or Facebook review if you have 60 seconds. Just click hither: [link].

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SMS service

At that place are too SMS review request services that can prepare automatic texts later appointments and purchases.

Thank you for visiting [business name]! Share your feedback at [link]. [We actually read it!]

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How to ask for reviews via e-mail

Using email to ask for reviews is a solid approach for businesses. Beginning of all, it'due south still a great aqueduct for communicating with your customers: 91% of consumers open their e-mail on a daily basis, and 58% of consumers check their email before doing annihilation else online. Second, you can include the link to the review platform right in the email and even test out different formats and language.

Yous can ask for reviews via e-mail in the form of an email blast or personal email.  You may want to do one wide email or segment it out every bit yous meet fit. Here are some elementary templates to follow.

Review asking email template #one

Hey everyone!

Positive reviews from crawly customers like yous help other [athletes, parents, artists, ec] but similar you to experience confident nearly choosing [business name]. Could you accept sixty seconds to get to [link to review platform] and share your happy experiences?

We will exist forever grateful. Thanks in accelerate for helping us out!

Review request electronic mail template #2

Hey everyone,

Did you know that the number of [business organization name] fans has doubled since concluding year? We must exist doing something right! And whatever that is, nosotros desire to go on doing it. So tell us!

If you have xc seconds today, we would love it if you lot went to [platform] and wrote a review. A few sentences is all information technology takes! This enables united states to continue providing the best experience possible for you, and helps others understand how [ business name] can brand their life easier.

Thank you lot in advance!

Review asking email template #3

Dear [outset name]

Cheers for your recent purchase. We hope y'all beloved it! If you do, would you consider leaving us a [platform] review? This helps united states to go on providing great products and helps others like you to find us and brand confident [item] decisions.

Thank you in advance!

Review request electronic mail template #four

Null can brand a customer feel quite as appreciated as when they receive a personal email from the business concern owner. Choose a handful of loyal customers who have done a keen deal of business with you, or customers with whom you're hoping to cultivate lasting relationships, and send them a personal note thanking them for their concern and asking for the review.

Hi [get-go name],

We have a quick favor to enquire. Would yous mind heading to [platform] and writing a quick review?

Reviews aid the states keep upwardly with your needs and they as well aid others like you to make confident decisions nearly [your topic].

Review or non, we still love you!

Hoping to see your smiling confront before long,

[Name]

Visitor-wide email

Involve your employees in the process. Stress the importance of customer reviews to your staff and ask that they send personal emails to customers. Let them know that they would be personally contributing to the growth of your organization and they'll feel empowered to participate in the initiative.

How to inquire for reviews mail service-purchase

For some businesses, asking for a review immediately after their purchase makes sense, while others may want to wait to requite the customer time to utilise information technology. Be certain to cater your post-buy review requests accordingly.

Thank you cards

With a design tool similar Canva, you can easily create piffling cards to go in your product packaging, attached to receipts, or next to the mints that encourage reviews. The carte du jour can say something similar:

• "Did you enjoy working with us? Leave a review!"
• "How did we exercise? Let united states of america know by leaving a review at [link]!"
• "Got feedback? Nosotros'd love to hear it! You lot tin leave u.s. a review at [link]."

Buy confirmation emails

Postal service-purchase trigger emails are keen places to ask for reviews. Here are two brusk and sugariness ways to asking reviews or feedback in your afterwards-purchase thank you pages:

"Thank you for your buy! If you enjoyed your shopping experience, tell us (and others) about information technology!"

"Thank you for your purchase! If you are happy with your [new product], please take a minute to review it hither [link to review platform]."

Chewy's email is a peachy instance of providing the actual items the customer purchased and a link to review each.

We'd love to hear how you lot and your pet enjoyed these products. Delight leave a review so we can share it with other pet parents just similar you.

And I peculiarly similar this one by Biscuiteers because they include others' reviews. This helps give customers a starting indicate and then they're not starting from scratch.

Thank you so much for your recent order. Buying pressies should exist good fun and we're curious to find how easy you found information technology. If yous can spare a few minutes to leave the states a review nosotros'd be super grateful!

How to ask for reviews on your website

You can include a CTA to exit a review in diverse places on your website, but many businesses benefit from having a defended reviews or testimonials page attainable via their main navigation (as this is i of the first things a prospective customer seeks out when because a business).

Accept a "leave us a review" folio

In the instance below, this business organization has a review item in their chief navigation, with the ability to read and get out reviews.

In the "get out a review" page, you're asked to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down. Once y'all striking the thumbs upward, you're prompted to leave a Google review.

Include existing reviews

Exist sure to have a folio that prove existing reviews, or to include them right on your "exit a review" page. This shows people how short their review tin be and gives them a starting point.

Many content management systems have a plugin or script that allows you to aggregate your reviews from other platforms into a feed on this page. But yous can also add together them manually. Either fashion, it is best to have the reviews appear on the page in text form (as opposed to screenshot or image). This is because reviews are often packed with important keywords that can boost your SEO, but Google won't pick up on these words if they're in paradigm grade.

How to enquire for reviews from vendors

If you do a lot of B2B piece of work, consider your vendors and partners for reviews. Other business organization owners empathise the value of a review, and leaving one on their website or listing may be enough to get one from them without even request.

However, in that location are opportunities to ask for reviews from them equally well. If you find yourself in a coming together with a client or a business partner, don't exist afraid to simply say,

"Mr. Smith, I actually have enjoyed working with you on this project and value your insight. Would you be willing to share your feel with our visitor past contributing a brusk review for our testimonial folio?"

Or

"Positive feedback from non just customers, but likewise the partners we piece of work with really helps usa to continue attracting more keen customers and partners such equally yourself. If you wouldn't mind leaving a review, we would actually appreciate that."

How to ask for reviews on social media

You can inquire for reviews on whatever social media platform, simply Facebook should be your top priority since it'due south a meridian review site.

Ask and include a link

What better way to get Facebook reviews than via Facebook post? In the uncomplicated instance below, this insurance bureau writes:

We L❤️ VE our customers! If you want to show u.s.a. some love, leave u.s. a review!

Create posts out of existing reviews

The other way to go is to share reviews on your feed as they come in, similar this local business does below. You lot tin can always add a link for customers to leave their own reviews.

How non to enquire for reviews

While you are encouraged to enquire for reviews, there is a correct and a incorrect way to become near it. Hither are some approaches y'all should avert.

Incentivizing with gifts or discounts

You should non, under any circumstances, offer a discount or gratis gift in exchange for leaving reviews. This is against the terms and weather of many review platforms like Yelp and Google, and tin can pb to a high book of low-quality or star-only reviews (with no text). The purpose of reviews is not primarily to do good the concern merely to empower prospective customers to make informed decisions.

However, a pay-it-frontwards campaign like the one below would be perfectly suitable. It reads:

For every review nosotros receive we will donate upward to $10 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation

Buying reviews

Again, this policy is in place to keep review platforms honest and authentic.

Asking apologetically

Don't be afraid to ask for reviews. People (as mentioned to a higher place, 67% of people) are generally willing to get out reviews. People like being heard, and volition be extra willing to lend their vocalisation to a company they experience has met their expectations, as a way of returning the favor. Plus, y'all are empowering them to give other consumers just like them the confidence to brand an informed decision

Not responding to reviews

Don't forget to reply to reviews. First off, this is a way of acknowledging and expressing appreciation for the customer' taking the time to do then. Second, this can help you to build customer relationships and retain more than of them. Finally, it shows the residual of the public that you lot are circumspect to the voices of your customers. Responding as well builds engagement and activity on your listing, which Google takes into account when ranking business organisation listings.

Last tips on request for customer reviews

There are many ways to ask for reviews, but the nearly constructive method and/or platform will be different for each business organization. As mentioned above, your all-time bet is to have a few strategies in place at once, and to experiment with particular methods to observe out which one(southward) work best for yous! Just call back these key takeaways:

• Reviews aren't selfish; they empower your customers to help other consumers make smart and confident decisions.
• Exist genuine and don't force it.
• Continue email correspondence short and sweet. The faster the email reads, the easier they'll perceive the process to be (a copywriting psychology principle!).
• Make it as easy equally possible for the customer to go out a review (including using curt, easy-to-remember links for printed materials).
• Remember that customers are willing to leave reviews.
• Respond to reviews, good and bad!

A steady stream of skilful-quality reviews is essential for your reputation, ranking, and ultimately fifty-fifty your acquirement. So follow these tips and get a review strategy in identify asap!

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Source: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2020/07/16/how-to-ask-for-reviews

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