Did you know that 88 percent of consumers are influenced by online reviews when it comes to making a purchasing decision? Potential customers will often look up restaurants, mechanics, hair stylists, contractors and the like to see what other people are saying about them before visiting or contacting those businesses. So it goes without saying that growing your bank of positive online reviews should be a goal for your business.
While good reviews have a lot of influence on people, don’t underestimate the impact of negative reviews. Even if you have mostly good reviews, some people may focus on that handful of poor reviews. 95 percent of customers share bad experiences, while 45 percent of them spread the word via social media, where they could reach hundreds, even thousands of people. So how can you help generate positive reviews of your business?
If you haven’t already, create pages for your business on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Yelp!, Instagram, Pinterest and/or OpenTable (as applicable). These pages should note your business’ location, hours of operation, contact information and even pictures of your products or services.
Once you have these pages established, keep tabs on what people are saying. If someone left a glowing review, offer them a discount as a thank you and to incentivize repeat business. If someone leaves a bad review, respond in a professional manner with an appropriate solution to that person’s qualm. Take all feedback into consideration; you never know who may have the next great idea for your business’ improvement.
You can also ask customers to write a review when dealing with them in person. Offering some sort of incentive increases the odds that they will follow up, which can help your online presence.
It’s important to note that, though marketing can generate new business leads, only a strong, customer-oriented business will retain satisfied customers. But a few good online reviews never hurt anyone!
We’ll support your business goals. Call Auto Insurance Discounters at (816) 252-2255 for more information on Kansas City business insurance.