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The Ultimate Guide On How To Ask For Reviews (13 Effective Ways & Best Practices)

Learn 13 effective ways and best practices on how to ask for reviews and build trust in your business.

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The Ultimate Guide On How To Ask For Reviews (13 Effective Ways & Best Practices)
Title
Learn 13 effective ways and best practices on how to ask for reviews and build trust in your business.
Date
Oct 11, 2024
Description
Learn 13 effective ways and best practices on how to ask for reviews and build trust in your business.
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Done
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Picture this: you’ve just made a big purchase, and you’re looking for information to help you decide if you made the right choice. You come across the seller’s website, which is packed with glowing reviews from happy customers. Suddenly, you feel more at ease about your decision. This is the power of customer testimonials on websites. Now, imagine you’re the business owner. How do you get these reviews? This article will help you with that. Keep reading to learn how to ask for customer reviews to get the testimonials you need to boost sales and improve your online reputation.
One way to make collecting reviews more accessible is with testimonial software. This helpful tool allows you to automate the process of asking for reviews from customers so you can focus on running your business.

What Are Customer Reviews?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews
A customer review is a form of feedback or personal evaluation provided by a customer who has used a product or service. Typically published on company websites, e-commerce platforms, or review-specific sites, these reviews offer insights into customer satisfaction, product performance, or service quality. Customer reviews help potential buyers make informed decisions and can influence a company’s reputation and credibility.

Why Customer Reviews Matter and How to Master Getting Them

According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey, 75 percent of consumers regularly read customer reviews before purchasing a product, hiring a company, or investing in a service. While your friends may pick up the phone to tell you about a product or service they loved or hated, they are also likely to post positive feedback online—or leave a scathing review.
Businesses can’t avoid ratings, so instead of dreading this input, make customer reviews a part of your customer experience strategy by mastering how to ask for—and earn—excellent reviews. Use our guide to learn why customer reviews are essential, what popular review sites your customers may use, how to get and use reviews, and how to respond to all types of client feedback.

Why Are Customer Reviews So Important?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews
No matter what industry your business is in, customer feedback impacts how other customers perceive your business. Whether you use a Voice of the Customer (VoC) strategy to collect feedback or follow up customer service interactions with a CSAT survey, explore the benefits of customer reviews below.

Customer Reviews Are Crucial to Building Trust

Customer reviews are powerful because they come from real people. Even when posted by brand evangelists, reviews often feel more authentic to buyers than traditional marketing. About 50 percent of consumers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from family and friends, demonstrating that word-of-mouth marketing online can significantly impact a business's bottom line.
Companies can build customer trust when customers read honest reviews from people they know and other consumers with real experiences.

Customer Reviews Provide Valuable Feedback

Reviews give insight into what you’re doing right and where there’s room for improvement—from your product quality to the effectiveness of your support team. Honest feedback also helps you know if you’re meeting customer expectations.
For example, Mailchimp used customer feedback to identify which features and functionalities were most important to customers. Using this information and a customer-centric strategy, the company built better products that helped more customers than ever.

Customer Reviews Encourage Positive Engagement

Creating a platform where customers can exchange experiences enhances engagement and fosters a sense of community. For instance, encouraging interaction on your website or mobile app by allowing customers to post reviews and respond to others’ feedback can significantly increase customer engagement.

Customer Reviews Provide Coaching to Agents

All feedback can be good, especially when it breaks down service flaws and helps strengthen support quality by identifying areas of improvement. Positive customer reviews encourage agents to continue performing as they are, while constructive or negative reviews can reveal where they might be missing the mark.
Managers can use all customer feedback forms to create:
  • Transparent coaching sessions
  • Skills labs
  • Training programs

Customer Reviews Improve the Bottom Line

Reviews can directly drive customer acquisition, plus upsells and cross-sells. When prospects read client reviews about their customer experience (CX) or see a business interacting with customer reviews online, they form opinions about who to trust and interact with.
Good review etiquette and honest reviews from real customers can significantly increase a business’s revenue.

Customer Review Examples

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews

Quote Testimonials: Simple Yet Effective

Quote testimonials are straightforward. They involve taking a snippet of a customer review and displaying it prominently on a website. You can enhance the appeal of quote testimonials to encourage conversions by including the following:
  • Photo of the customer
  • Logo of their company (if applicable)
For example, if you’re showcasing a quote testimonial from a customer who purchased a product, you might link the CTA to the product page.

Social Media Reviews: Real-Time Insights from Customers

Social media reviews are valuable because they come from the customers’ peers, not the business itself. You can ask customers to leave feedback on your social platforms after they’ve purchased a product or service. They can:
  • Tag you
  • Use a unique hashtag
  • Leave it on your page
Once you have many social media reviews, embed that social feed of user-generated content on your website so newcomers can immediately see this type of social proof.

Customer Reviews and Ratings: The More, the Merrier

Customer reviews and ratings are the bread and butter of testimonials. When shoppers visit your website, they will look for these reviews to get a sense of your credibility as a business. In addition to being displayed on your website, customer reviews can appear on marketplaces (e.g., Amazon) or review sites (such as Yelp or Capterra).
You can display badges from these sites with an aggregate rating or score to show that you are a trusted vendor.

Authority Testimonials: Influencers Who Mean Business

Also known as influencer testimonials, authority testimonials are pieces of content that include a celebrity or spokesperson supporting your company. Often, this person is a significant influencer of your target audience and helps build your business's credibility. The most effective spokespeople share the business's core values and deeply connect with the target audience.
Influencer testimonials can be expensive, and finding the right influencer can be challenging. Still, when they succeed, these campaigns can pay dividends for your company over time.

Case Studies: Real-Life Examples of Your Product in Action

Case study testimonials are another way to capture and relay social proof to your audience. They typically include an in-depth explanation of how a customer uses your product with detailed examples of use cases. Case studies differ from interview testimonials in that they convey the analysis and results of using your product or service.
In contrast, interview testimonials focus on various experience topics in a question-and-answer format—usually with little rewriting needed.

How To Ask For Reviews: 13 Effective Ways To Gather Reviews

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews
The best time to ask for a review is right after a positive customer experience or interaction. Customers still excited about your product or service are more inclined to leave a positive review.

Tips for Perfect Timing

Tips on how to ask for a review:
  • Immediately After Purchase or Service: Send an email or text message right after the transaction while the experience is fresh in their mind. If you’re a service provider, ask after a successful project or consultation.
  • Follow-up after Delivery: For products, consider sending a follow-up email a few days after delivery. This will give customers enough time to use the product while it’s still fresh in their minds.

Personalizing Your Request

Personalized requests show customers that they are not just another sale to you. It makes them feel valued and that their specific opinion matters.

How to Personalize Your Request

  • Use Their Name: Always address the customer by their first name. “Hi [Name], we’d love your thoughts on your recent purchase.”
  • Mention Specific Purchases: Reference the exact product or service they purchased. This makes your request more relevant and authentic.
  • Acknowledge Their Feedback: Let them know their review will help your business improve or help other customers make informed decisions. Example: "Your feedback will help us enhance our service for customers like you."

Making It Easy

Why Simplicity Matters? Customers will likely leave a review if the process is quick and hassle-free. Reducing friction in the process can lead to more reviews.

Tips for Making It Easy

  • Direct Links: Avoid making them search for where to leave feedback. Include a direct link to your review page in your:
    • Emails
    • Texts
    • Websites
  • Use Review Widgets: If asking for reviews on your website, integrate a review widget that takes customers straight to the review form.
  • Pre-filled Forms: If possible, use pre-filled fields to streamline the review process. For example, some platforms allow you to automatically include the product name, order number, or a quick rating system to simplify things.

Incentivizing Reviews (Ethically)

While you can’t pay for reviews or offer too much incentive (which can feel like bribery), small, ethical rewards can motivate customers to share their thoughts.

How to Ethically Offer Incentives

  • Offer Discounts: Provide a small discount on their next purchase for leaving a review, such as 10% off. Mention this in your email or during the transaction.
  • Exclusive Entry: Enter reviewers into a monthly prize draw or raffle. This encourages participation without making them feel that the review is paid.
  • Freebies or Small Gifts: Offer a free small item or accessory with their next order if they leave a review. Make sure it’s a modest offer to avoid coming across as trying to "buy" their review.

Methods of Asking for Reviews

1. Use Testimonial Software

Testimonial simplifies the process of building trust and credibility for businesses. Our software allows easy collection and display of authentic client testimonials, featuring:
  • Video and text options
  • An embeddable ‘wall of love’ widget
  • Smart Email Assistant
  • Third-party review imports
This software is ideal for:
  • Content creators
  • Agencies
  • eCommerce
  • SaaS companies.
Testimonial help boost your credibility and conversion rates by showcasing real customer experiences. Build a wall of love for free today with Testimonial.

2. Asking for Reviews via Email

Email allows you to craft a thoughtful, personalized message and include all the necessary information in one place.
Best practices for email review requests:
  • Attention-Grabbing Subject Lines: Use subject lines that prompt action, such as "We’d love your feedback, [Name]" or "Share your thoughts and get 10% off your next order."
  • Concise Messaging: Keep your email short and to the point. Customers are more likely to respond to an explicit, easy-to-read request.
  • Include a CTA Button or Link: Include a clear call-to-action (CTA), like “Leave a Review,” with a direct link to the review page.
  • Follow-Up Reminders: If a customer doesn’t respond to your initial email, send a friendly follow-up after a few days to gently remind them.

3. In-Person Review Requests

When asking in person, you can gauge a customer’s reaction immediately and build a personal connection, making it one of the most effective ways to secure reviews.
How to ask in-person for reviews:
  • Be Direct and Honest: After a positive interaction or sale, ask, "I’m glad you had a great experience with us today! We’d love it if you could leave a review about it."
  • Provide Clear Instructions: Offer simple guidance on where they can leave the review, whether handing them a card with a link or sending a follow-up email with the details.
  • Show Enthusiasm: Your excitement about their feedback can encourage them to leave a review. For example, "Your opinion matters to us, and it helps others know they can trust us too."

4. Asking for Reviews via Text

Text messages have a high open rate and can reach customers instantly, making them an efficient way to request reviews.
How to use text messaging for reviews:
  • Keep it Brief: Use concise and clear language. Example: “Hi [Name], thank you for shopping with us! We’d love your feedback. Leave a review here [link].”
  • Personalization: Mention their purchase or service to make the message more personal.
  • Timing Matters: Send the text after the customer’s transaction or interaction with your brand.

5. Asking for Reviews on Social Media

Many customers spend significant time on social media, making it a convenient platform to ask for reviews.
How to ask for reviews on social media:
  • Leverage Your Followers: Post a message asking for reviews, explaining how important their feedback is to your business.
  • Use Stories or Posts: Instagram Stories, Facebook posts, and Twitter threads can include a direct link to a review page.
  • Share Positive Reviews: By showcasing existing positive reviews, you can inspire other customers to share their own feedback, thereby boosting your business's reputation and fostering a sense of optimism.
  • Hashtags and Mentions: Encourage customers to mention your business or use a specific hashtag when posting reviews.

6. Follow-Up Requests for Reviews

Customers may need to remember to leave a review, and a polite follow-up can remind them to take action.
How to effectively follow up:
  • Friendly Reminders: If the first request was ignored, send a second email or text message after a few days. “Hi [Name], we hope you’re enjoying [product/service]. We’d love to hear your thoughts if you have a moment!”
  • Polite and Grateful Tone: Always remain polite and express gratitude for their business, even if they haven’t left a review yet.
  • Repeat Timing: Follow up one more time if needed, but avoid overwhelming the customer with too many requests.

7. Asking for Reviews from Vendors

Reviews from vendors add credibility to your business and build stronger B2B relationships.
How to request vendor reviews:
  • Send a Thank-You Message: After a successful collaboration, send a thank-you email to the vendor, asking if they’d be willing to leave a review about your partnership.
  • Highlight the Benefits of Reviews: Explain how their review will help you attract more business and strengthen future collaborations.
  • Provide Clear Instructions: Provide them with simple steps for leaving a review on:
    • LinkedIn
    • Google
    • Industry-specific review sites.

8. Asking for Reviews on Your Website

Reviews on your website build trust with potential customers and add social proof.
Tips for getting website reviews:
  • Include a Call-to-Action (CTA) Button: Add a clear and prominent button on your site, like “Leave a Review,” that directs customers to your review page.
  • Use Review Popups: Add pop-ups after purchase confirmation, asking customers if they’d like to leave a review.
  • Request at Key Moments: Ask for reviews after checkout when customers are still engaged with your website.

9. How to Ask for Reviews Post-Purchase

Asking shortly after the customer has received their product allows you to catch them while the experience is fresh.
How to effectively ask for reviews post-purchase:
  • Follow-Up Email: Send a personalized email thanking them for their purchase and asking for their feedback.
  • Include Purchase-Specific Details: To make it more personal, mention the product they purchased. For example, “We hope you enjoy your new [product name]. We’d love to hear what you think!”
  • Direct Link: Include a direct link to your preferred review platform, making it easy for them to leave feedback.

10. Follow Up with a Phone Call

While it may not be a standard practice, reaching out to all your customers, especially when your business is in its early stages of growth, can be a powerful strategy to foster customer loyalty. A personal phone call to inquire about their satisfaction with your products or services demonstrates your genuine concern for their experience.
Remember that you’re asking for feedback, not a testimonial. Read the atmosphere before you decide to ask for a review.

11. Start a Conversation

The easiest way to ask for a review in person is to start a conversation while the customer is at your business. Ideally, the customer would already be talking about how much they like your products or services, making it the perfect time to ask for a review. However, this will only sometimes happen. You can still casually ask by starting a friendly chat, like asking if they've shopped there before or how long they've been using your products, as a natural lead into requesting a review.
Similar to a phone call, read the room and don’t lead with asking for a review. You don’t want to come off as ingenuine or pushy. If they don’t seem interested in chatting, moving on is probably better. You don’t want to risk creating a bad experience that leads to a negative review.

12. Add a Review Form to Your Site

How do you ask for more in-depth reviews? Add a review form to a section of your website, make sure it’s easy for customers to find, and link to it often! One of the pros of having a permanent review page on your site is that it provides a standardized location to which you can direct customers through:
  • Email
  • Social media
  • Other platforms

13. How to ask for reviews post-purchase

For some businesses, asking for a review immediately after their purchase makes sense, while others may want to wait to give the customer time to use it. Be sure to tailor your post-purchase review requests accordingly like:
  • Thank you cards: With a design tool like Canva, you can easily create little thank you cards in your product packaging, attached to receipts, or next to the mints that encourage reviews. The card can say something like:
    • “Did you enjoy working with us? Leave a review!”
    • “How did we do? Let us know by leaving a review at [link]!”
    • “Got feedback? We’d love to hear it! You can leave us a review at [link].”

Why Ask Customers For Reviews?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews

Reviews Help You Manage Your Brand’s Reputation

A steady flow of customer reviews goes a long way in building and managing your brand’s reputation over time. When you respond to reviews and showcase them on your website, customers see that you care about their feedback.
Most importantly, a stream of 5-star reviews from customers helps showcase your brand's best qualities. It also creates powerful social proof that inspires shopper confidence and drives sales.

Asking for Reviews Can Lead to Higher Ratings

Research shows that reviews generated by requests produce higher ratings than unprompted reviews. InMoment found that prompted reviews averaged 4.34 stars, while unprompted reviews averaged only 3.89 stars.
Learning how to ask for reviews is a great place to start when you want to boost your ratings.

Reviews Improve Your Search Rankings

Customer reviews don’t just impact your online reputation. They can also influence your search performance. Reviews improve your brand’s search visibility. Most review websites and search engines prioritize businesses with high positive reviews, which can lead to better rankings and increased exposure to potential customers.
In particular, your review signals are factored into organic and local search rankings such as:
  • Review count
  • Ratings, Review text
  • Review responses

Asking for Reviews Helps You Connect with Your Customers

Requesting a review is a great way to perform customer outreach. It encourages customer engagement and fosters a sense of community around your brand. Customers who feel that their opinions are valued are likelier to engage with your company and become loyal advocates.

Review Requests Can Activate Your Brand Promoters

By encouraging your customers to write reviews, you can convert the happiest, most satisfied ones into vocal promoters and word-of-mouth catalysts who’ll put in a good word about your brand.

How Can You Use Customer Reviews Effectively?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews

Highlight the Best Reviews on Your Website

As your business gains positive reviews, consider how to use them to benefit your business. One effective way to use reviews is to feature the best ones on your website. Choose some of your business's best reviews and feature them on the homepage of your website for visitors to see. This placement may encourage shoppers to make a purchase or read more reviews.

List Reviews on Specific Pages for Products or Services

Another effective way to use customer reviews is to list them for the products or services they mention on specific pages. If you sell products through an online store or display your services on a website, consider listing reviews for those offerings on their particular web pages.
For example, you might have ratings and reviews on your website for a pair of shoes for sale so shoppers can read others’ opinions about those shoes.

Include Pictures of Products or Services to Motivate Shoppers

Pictures of your products or services may motivate more shoppers to trust your site's reviews and buy from your business. Consider adding photographs to reviews so people can see your products or services and compare them to similar items.

Ask Customers to Edit Negative Reviews

If you contact a customer about a negative review and solve their problem with their purchase, you may ask them to edit their negative review. While it's the customer’s choice to update their review with new information, asking them may increase the number of positive ratings for your business.

How Can You Improve Your Customer Reviews?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews

Negative Reviews Can Help You Improve Your Business

When customers leave reviews with suggestions about ways to improve your business, consider their feedback. This action can help you better meet your target audience's expectations about the product:
  • Offerings
  • Quality
  • Customer service
It also shows customers you value their opinions. Reply to customers with updates about your changes to encourage more positive reviews in the future.

Ask Customers for Reviews in Different Ways

Ask for reviews in various ways to increase your chances of getting them from different customers. You can ask for reviews on your website, as a note in product packaging, or in follow-up emails after a customer has received a product or service they purchased.
Follow-up emails are beneficial because they target customers who have bought and may want to share their opinions with others. Asking for reviews in different ways can encourage customers to share their experience with your business in a way that's convenient for them.

Respond to Reviews Regularly

Replying to customer reviews regularly allows you to see what people are saying about your business and address their concerns publicly for other shoppers to see. When you reply to negative reviews, you can find solutions to problems your customers present and show other shoppers that you want to improve services for unsatisfied customers. You can also reply to positive reviews and thank those reviewers for supporting your business and for sharing their opinions with others.
When online shoppers see these replies, it may motivate them to learn more about your business and leave their reviews after a purchase. Customers who visit these replies may trust your company more and feel a deeper connection to your brand when they see you care about replying to customer reviews.

Make the Review Process Simple

Making your review process simple may motivate more customers to leave reviews. Software that allows customers to enter their information quickly and post reviews without going through many web pages can create a simple review process.
It's also a good idea to send customers a link after they purchase so they can leave a review specifically for the product or service they bought.

Create an Easily Accessible Review Page

Creating a review page that's easy for customers to access may encourage more shoppers to leave reviews for your business. Customers may often be more likely to leave a review if they know other shoppers can see it. You can do this by creating a specific page on your website that shows star ratings and reviews or adding a separate webpage that users can access from the homepage of your company's website.
This accessibility helps shoppers know you accept reviews and value their opinions enough to post them publicly.

8 Ways To Get More Reviews?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews

1. Utilize Testimonial Software

Testimonials can help you gain more reviews. They build trust with potential customers, and when they see that you have a process for collecting testimonials, they are more likely to leave one for you. Testimonial is a testimonial software that simplifies building trust and credibility for businesses. Our software allows accessible collection and display of authentic client testimonials, featuring:
  • Video and text options
  • Embeddable ‘wall of love’ widget
  • Clever Email Assistant
  • Third-party review imports
Testimonial helps boost your credibility and conversion rates by showcasing real customer experiences and is ideal for:
  • Content creators
  • Agencies
  • eCommerce
  • SaaS companies
Build a wall of love for free today with Testimonial.

2. Optimize Your Content So Customers Can Find You

Customers may be gushing or complaining about your business on third-party sites through unsolicited reviews, and you may be completely unaware of it. When users visit your site, make it easy for them to submit reviews. Optimize your online presence to create clear channels for customers to leave feedback to your:
  • Website
  • Social profiles
  • Emails
This will help to build trust with potential customers and establish an excellent reputation for your brand.

3. Create Incentives For Leaving Reviews

Encourage your consumers to submit reviews by providing incentives such as:
  • Discount codes
  • The chance to win a larger reward
  • Gift cards for online shopping
  • Cash
This is a simple but powerful method of expressing gratitude and soliciting more feedback from them.

4. Meet Customers Where They Are

When you make it easy for customers to post evaluations, they are more inclined to do so. Make sure your organization is active on social media platforms and send out email surveys with direct links to review sites.
Interact with your audience where their attention is currently focused, and offer an easy option for them to express feedback.

5. Respond to Every Positive Review as Well as Negative Reviews

Responding to reviews demonstrates your commitment to customer loyalty and satisfaction and helps build trust with new customers. When you respond to favorable reviews, you will make current clients feel appreciated and address the problems of disgruntled consumers who leave negative evaluations. This is an excellent option for businesses trying to boost their reputation and engage more deeply with their target audience.

6. Showcase the Glowing Reviews That Your Customers Have Shared

Leverage the momentum of your positive customer evaluations by highlighting and sharing them, pushing additional consumers to follow suit. Sharing good reviews and news about my company is simple on:
  • Google
  • TripAdvisor
  • Yelp
  • Glassdoor
  • Countless other review sites
Business owners have the advantage of being able to select positive ratings and “boost” them, making them more noticeable to different consumers. This is equivalent to upvoting a review so that as many people see it as possible.

7. Reach Out to Customers Individually

Sending email blasts may be the best option for firms with a passionate and loyal client base to collect more feedback. Taking this strategy allows you to request that your clients provide honest feedback on their experiences with your products and services.

8. Generate a Variety of Platforms to Leave Reviews and Feedback

Customer reviews are crucial for understanding the quality of your products and services, so let us make it easy for them to share their thoughts! When consumers want to learn more about a company or product, they typically consult reviews on popular third-party review websites.
Some sites or platforms you can use for reviews include:
  • Yelp
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • Amazon
  • Better Business Bureau

How Do You Respond To Customer Reviews?

How to Ask for Reviews
How to Ask for Reviews
Positive customer reviews are great for business. They build your reputation and make you more attractive to prospective buyers. Responding to them is just as important as the reviews themselves.

Personalize Your Message

When responding to positive reviews, you first make your message personal. Address the reviewer by name and thank them for their feedback. Highlight specific aspects of their review in your response to show you understand their comments and genuinely appreciate their thoughtful feedback.

Be Prompt

Another critical step for responding to positive reviews is to be prompt. Aim to respond within 24 hours of receiving any review. This shows your customers that you care about their feedback, whether it’s positive or negative.

Encourage More Engagement

Use your response to encourage further engagement with your business. You can ask follow-up questions to learn more about the customer’s experience with your organization. You might also mention any current promotions or special offers to entice the reviewer to return and make another purchase.

Build a Wall of Love for Free Today with Testimonial

When potential customers visit your website, they want clear evidence that you can deliver on your promises. Reviews and testimonials from actual customers offer that proof. Research shows that around 76% of consumers don’t even look at a business’s website until they’ve checked its reputation online first. Increasingly, this means reading reviews from real customers on third-party sites rather than just the business’s website.
Testimonial plugins can help you simplifies the process of building trust and credibility for your business to:
  • Collect
  • Organize
  • Display these reviews on your website

Written by

Damon Chen
Damon Chen

Founder of Testimonial

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