Don’t Be a Silent Critic! Why Aren’t You Responding to Your Online Reviews?
Would you rather someone give you feedback or that they silently judge your business and move on?
Chances are that you’d prefer the feedback! Even if it’s not what you want to hear.
I was recently having a conversation with a business owner of a marketing communications company. I was telling him about a new accounting service that could be beneficial to his business. While we were on the phone, he made an interesting comment:
“I see they have good reviews on Google, but I don’t see one response from the owner. Are they still in business?”
RepCheckup helps you monitor those reviews, so you’ll know when to respond – and ensure customers know you’re alive and well!
When the Importance of Reputation Management Clicks with Business Owners (Everyone Wins)
Because I work in the reputation management industry, seeing business owners that don’t respond to reviews is always a disappointment, but it’s not often a surprise. This time, I was taken back a little at first!
I know how important it is to respond to reviews and have had plenty of discussions about it… But, this comment came up completely organically!
The mentality of this business owner helps uphold the studies focusing on customer interactions with online reviews, such as this one by Forbes, are true.
In fact, check out these stats:
- 88% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations
- 68% of consumers trust reviews more when they see both good and bad scores.
- Every one star increase in a Yelp rating means a 5 to 9% increase in revenue. (2016)
Responding to online reviews and interacting with your customers shows that you have a genuine interest in their satisfaction.
Avoid Robot Responses To Your Online Reviews
It can be easy to post the same response over and over to your reviews. Other tasks come up and fires need to be put out. Take the time to craft a response to each and every one of your reviews.
Customers are more likely to leave a review if they see someone is actively checking and responding to them. And, as I found out from my conversation, just a high star rating isn’t the only thing that matters. Prospective customers want to see activity from the business also!
The review (and response) to the right is a great example of a business owner who took the time to craft a personal response to a mediocre review.
A Positive Online Review Deserves A Response
Your gut reaction may be to leave a positive review alone and to only tell your side of the story when someone posts a negative review. According to studies, responding to reviews is more important than ever, with 30% naming this as key when judging local businesses!
Be appreciative of praise from your customers!
When you see a positive review come through, explain how you enjoyed the experience. If you can remember anything from the interaction, add the personal touch to your response. This is going to do two things for you:
- Intrigue prospective customers to want the special relationship with the business owner
- More than likely you will now have a repeat customer, just by responding to their review!
Taking the time to show your gratitude to your customers will show others how well you treat your customers.
Engage With Your Customer Reviews In One Way or Another
Customers want to see you’re engaged with them and that you’re not just seeing dollars signs! Showing a genuine interest in your customers will create repeat customers and hopefully bring in new business! Whether it be expressing a simple “Thank you” or explaining a great interaction with a customer, make sure you’re active.
Now, it’s time to get those reviews flowing, so you can start showing your gratitude to all your happy customers. RepCheckup can offer a limited free subscription to our software which will start getting you reviews today! What are you waiting for, sign up for our free trial!
