How to get Google Reviews for your Business
As we've covered a few times, the key to getting your customers to do something for you is to ask, and then you will get it. As said above, don't overthink it, don't ask them for too much and certainly do not tell them how many words, what's right and how to do it. Keep your life simple and their life easy; ask if they can do you quick favour rather than using the term ‘review’. Tell them it merely helps you out and you are very grateful; it is easy.
You will be asked how to review on Google.
We found that one of the main reasons people don’t leave a review is that they think you need to have a full Gmail address, which hasn't been the case for at least a year, maybe two. Remind your clients that leaving a review takes less than 2 minutes, even if they don't use Gmail or Google Plus. Also, if your customer doesn't have a Google account, it only takes 10 seconds to open one, but these days most people do, especially business owners, due to things like Google Analytics or even Maps. You do not need a Google review link generator. Just tell your customer to Google your brand name; your Google my business listing should show up on the right side of the search engine result. Your client should be able to click the current reviews where a window will pop up; tell them to click 'write a review', and the job is complete; it should take less than 2 minutes for a standard-length review.
Tip!! Asking people to Google your brand name over time, will help you with your SEO activities and performance.
Use an email template to ask for Google reviews.
If you generate a lot of sales, bookings or transactions, manually asking for reviews can become extremely time-consuming; this is another reason established businesses rarely get many reviews on their Google place account. A quick solution to this is to implement a process where Google review requests are applied in your sales process. All you need to do is generate a link to your Google business map profile that will take you less than 10 seconds to produce. Don't forget that a link in your email signature can go a long way. We would advise that e-commerce stores only request a review once delivery has been confirmed; you do not want a review for late delivery when it isn't your fault.
You do not need to use any Google review link generators at all.
Just follow the steps above, search for your brand name in Google, click the reviews, which will open up a new tab or window then copy the URL in your web browser. You will then need to go to your email client or whatever you want to use, and write a short message with the simple hyperlink, a clickable link in the body of the text that takes your client directly to the Google review process.
Things to be aware of with business reviews and complaints
Business owners need to be aware that it is better to have one Google review a week from your customers spread over a few months than one week of 20 reviews, then forgotten about. You do have to be consistent about your Google reviews, keep plugging away at your customers, and the rewards will come over time. Be prepared for the odd person to leave three or 4-star reviews, believe it or not, some people will never leave a 5-star review, However, use this to your advantage to get back in contact with that customer to see if you can resolve or maybe sell another product. All reviews can be updated or edited; we have seen reviews placed over four years ago be changed from 3 stars to 5 stars quite easily. Never get obsessed with people who don't leave 5-star reviews, focus on getting as many reviews as you can over time; it's just part and parcel of running a business, so focus on pleasing 80% of your clients to the max rather than the 20% that you will never 100%, please.
Google will always 'listen' to your customers more than they will ever trust you!
You must educate Google and your potential customers that you are one of the best businesses in whatever niche or industry you are trading in. Google reviews are one of the quickest, cheapest and most visible ways to prove that. Keep at it and reap the rewards because they will come.
Harness the power of 'Google My Business reviews.
We encourage our clients to solicit reviews from their customers post-sale. We sporadically monitor our clients' progress and often notice a pattern: an influx of reviews that appears to come from friends or family rather than actual customers. Our investigation made us understand that many business owners simply do not ask for reviews. Perhaps it's an ingrained hesitation, but it's vital to remember: if you don't ask, you don't receive. Incorporate soliciting Google reviews into your sales process and follow-ups. A well-timed email could generate several positive reviews each month, resulting in additional sales from satisfied customers.
Perfect Your Review Timing.
Timing is critical when soliciting reviews. Ask too early, and your customers may not yet have fully experienced your product or service. Ask too late, and the initial excitement might have waned.
Tips on Asking Your Clients for Google Place Reviews
Asking for reviews can be straightforward, provided you don't overcomplicate it! Customers will typically respond in one of four ways:
They'll leave a review immediately.
They promise to leave a review in a few days.
They'll ignore your request.
They'll flat-out refuse.
Remember, these are the likely outcomes. To manage these responses:
If a review is left immediately, your job is done.
If a review is promised in a few days, gently remind the customer after a week.
If your request is ignored, try to identify if there's an issue with the transaction.
If they refuse without citing a problem with your product or service, understand that some people don't wish to leave a review.
The goal is to make this process as stress-free as possible for you and your customers. Reviews are valuable, and every opportunity to gather them should be seized!
