How to get more online reviews? 

Two out of three people say that positive reviews are a key factor in choosing a business. So, how do you get more reviews for your business? Find out below how you can easily achieve this and obtain reviews from your happy customers.

Get more reviews: ask for them while the customer is in the shop

Gaining reviews is easier than you may think, the secret? Ask your customers openly! Many customers don’t spontaneously think about leaving a review but have no problem doing so if encouraged.

If a customer’s experience seems positive, don’t hesitate and offer to leave a review. Of course, do not ask for reviews from customers who are not satisfied with your services, otherwise, you risk being left with negative reviews. 

Is the customer hesitant? Without being too pushy, try explaining the importance of reviews for local businesses and how leaving a review only takes a few moments.  

Get more reviews fast with a QR code

QR codes are becoming a lot more popular due to the Covid-19 period, it is a great tool for getting more customer reviews quickly. 

Place the QR code in a strategic place in your shop, e.g. at the till or in the waiting room. You can also insert the QR code directly into your business card, bill, or any other document you give to the customer. With this, you can ask customers to scan it and they will be redirected directly to your profile reviews.

Get reviews in a fun way with the tablet

Do you already have one or more tablets in your business? Don’t hesitate to use it also to ask them to leave you a review on your Google listing! The tablet can be a good opportunity for you to leave a review while the customer is still in the shop.

Try placing several tablets in your waiting room, on the till, or at strategic points in your shop. On each tablet set as the main page where you can leave reviews for your business. 

Some customers might be convinced to use the tablet and leave you a review while they wait to settle their bill! 

The NFC system gets reviews in an innovative way

The term NFC (Near Field Communication) may be unfamiliar to you, but chances are you have already used this system. NFC is nothing more than the technology you use when making contactless payments with your credit card or smartphone. 

You do not need to download any apps to use this system. You only need to be close to the customer’s mobile phone to activate the sending of an SMS to request reviews. 

However, be careful when using NFC, it can sometimes be perceived as intrusive by customers. Make sure you use it at the right time and for the right reasons. For example, use it with customers who have already visited your business several times and are starting to get to know you and your staff.

Asking for reviews by SMS

Sending an SMS is another simple and very effective way to get more online reviews. Use the fact that the telephone has become indispensable in the daily lives of many people, including your customers, to your advantage. Since they are used to communicating with their loved ones via SMS, sending a message is an excellent tool to encourage them to share a review and gather customer feedback. 

Write a personalised message tailored to each customer and add a direct link to the reviews. Make your customers feel that their opinion is important to you, it will get you better results.

Beware, do not send too many review requests at once! Too many reviews received all at once on your board can alarm Google, who may deem them to be fake and remove them.

E-mail to request reviews in a professional manner

If you do not feel comfortable soliciting your customers face to face, you can always ask them to leave you a review by email. This method is more professional and less confidential than sending a text message. 

If you are, for instance, a lawyer or a doctor and are looking for a way to get reviews less directly, email might be for you. Among the various ways to ask for reviews by email, we recommend: 

• Include the link to the review URL in your email signature.
• Sending an email to your customers asking them to leave a review on your profile
• If you have a newsletter, include the link to reviews in next month’s newsletter!