Online reviews have been around for a good few years and are now heavily relied upon by consumers – more now than ever before.
For example, did you know:
- 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business*
- 88% of consumers report trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations*
- 31% if customers are likely to spend more with a business that has ‘excellent’ (5 star) reviews*
- 72% of survey responders said that positive reviews make them trust a local business more*
Some typical questions that we get asked at Trustist are, ‘Have I missed the boat?’ or, ‘Am I too late to benefit from using online reviews to help me grow my business?’ and our answer is always the same – a resounding NO!
It’s true that more and more business owners are becoming wise to the benefits of utilising an online review strategy. It’s equally true that if you’re the first to take advantage of reviews in your sector and/or geographical area, you can get some amazing results! However, even if you’re not the first, there are still massive benefits to be gained from implementing a robust online review strategy and we’ve seen many of our clients do exactly that! Did you know, for instance, that for every star a business gains in their overall rating, there is approximately a 5 – 9% increase in their business revenue**? Is that worth having in your business? We think so!
Let’s also not forget that for every company (regardless – of sector and/or geographical area) that is pursuing an online review strategy, there are still loads and loads of businesses that are ignoring this powerful growth strategy.
Have a look at your competitors and see who’s benefiting from reviews and stars in their search results, and who isn’t; of course, if you need any further help or advice, we offer a free online demo showing you exactly what online reviews can achieve for you and your business!
Online reviews are a great place to start interacting with your customers more. What’s a better opening than someone praising your astounding service? One way to demonstrate gratitude, friendliness and good customer relations is to come across genuinely appreciative of your positive reviews.
An easy way to do this is by mentioning your reviewer by name. Personalising your responses will make your customer feel special and important, rather than just another sale. Something else you could do is compliment them back by telling them that they were great to work with, or that you appreciate them choosing to use your service. This tactic will reinforce the friendliness of the staff and attract people to your company as they will then know that they’ll receive stellar service!
By looking past the star rating itself and reading the text your customer/client has written, you’ll gain a far deeper insight into how your business, your products/services and customer service is being seen, understood, and received. We really want to encourage you to take the time to study your reviews in order to really understand just what’s going on in your business.
Make 2022 the year your business soars by utilising the powerful strategy of online reviews!
**Source