{"id":67969,"date":"2020-01-20T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T14:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eventsource.ca\/blog\/?p=67969"},"modified":"2020-06-15T00:00:53","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T04:00:53","slug":"the-importance-of-online-reviews-and-how-to-ask-your-clients-for-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eventsource.ca\/blog\/the-importance-of-online-reviews-and-how-to-ask-your-clients-for-them","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Online Reviews and How to Ask Your Clients for Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ten+ years ago, no one would take your business seriously without a website; today\u2019s equivalent is online reviews.<\/p>\n

Some people still assume that having a website or social media presence is enough to convince potential clients to reach out \u2013 it\u2019s not. At least not on a sustainable basis. Thanks to smartphones, it is increasingly rare for people to make a purchasing decision without first doing a little \u2018Google-dive\u201d to verify their purchasing decisions. In fact, it\u2019s been shown that *82% of consumers will read online reviews before deciding to contact a service provider or purchase a product.<\/p>\n

\"online<\/a><\/div>\n

Reviews are a vital component to your business\u2019 online identity: they serve to validate, and allow potential clients to feel confident about your services long before they make the decision to sign the dotted line.<\/p>\n

Positive reviews also help you position yourself as an authority in your market \u2013 paving the way to a successful working relationship since clients will be far more inclined to trust your judgement as you proceed through your business dealings.<\/p>\n

Why else do reviews matter?<\/h2>\n

1. They increase your visibility<\/strong><\/p>\n

Having positive reviews on impartial sites like Google, Facebook, EventSource, and other third party sites help improve your SEO for searches where fresh, authentic content is valued. It also helps people who are specifically searching for reviews on your company. The reviews help to increase your brand\u2019s visibility which helps to drive additional clicks which helps to build credibility which helps to close additional business – all good stuff!<\/p>\n

2. They feed into your community management strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n

The way in which you respond to online reviews tells potential customers everything they need to know about how you do business. Whether you are responding to positive reviews, or negative ones, having a clear message and consistent voice is key. Reviews also give you a platform to address questions, comments and concerns in a way that is on brand.<\/p>\n

Bonus: when customers see that you take the time to respond to reviews, they are more likely to leave you a review.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. They boost your \u2018Know, Like, Trust\u2019 factor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Being an authority in the industry as a brand is all about increasing your online visibility, and today, that means encouraging your customers to talk about you on their own terms. Social media is a great tool, but the ability for customers to talk about you on other channels is a crucial component of your online presence. While testimonials on your website have some merit, your brand can build additional trust and credibility from a steady stream of positive reviews from third party sites.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy of www.theculturemastery.com<\/span><\/p>\n

So how should you go about asking for online reviews?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve never asked before, reaching out to clients for reviews can feel a touch icky or even slightly presumptuous – I totally get it. Understand that for most of your clients these days, leaving a review or even being asked to leave a review is very commonplace and is not likely to raise any eyebrows. Try it out with a few \u201cclose\u201d clients to start and you\u2019ll see how easy it gets with practice!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a really simple, yet common example: let\u2019s say your client\u2019s event has concluded and they send you a glowing thank you email totally singing your praises! Well, what a perfect time to ask them to simply copy and paste their email on to the various review sites<\/em>. Begin with something like \u201cWow, we are so happy you feel that way! Would you mind copying and pasting this on to [insert site here] for us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Pro tip: make it even easier by including the direct URL to your review area: www.eventsource.ca\/your-company-name\/reviews<\/em><\/p>\n

Another more \u201cpassive\u201d approach is to include the link in your email signature. Being honest and not pushy will make your clients more likely to write you a great review. For example, something like \u201cOnline reviews help businesses like ours keep the lights on! If you have loved working with us as much as we have loved working with you, we would greatly appreciate a quick review on [EventSource].\u201d<\/p>\n

An important point to consider when it comes to reviews: by default, clients are a lot more likely to write an unsolicited negative review rather than an unsolicited positive review. Why? Because above all, people want to feel heard. This brings us to our next point.<\/p>\n

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