Reviews are the secret sauce that can give your business a boost. They help to increase loyalty, attract more customers and eliminate negative comments. Review insights can be used to help you develop your strategy and determine the steps that you need to take in order for your business expand.
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You can easily gather feedback to help your business grow by following these simple steps.
You can survey your customers
SurveyMonkey Point Shout pollDaddy, and SurveyGizmo are all tools that help small businesses make informed decisions. You’ll also show your customers that you value their opinions.
You can print out surveys and hand them out if you do not have the email addresses of your customers. By providing a box to collect completed surveys, you can assure customers that their feedback will remain anonymous. Offer an incentive, such as a discount or freebie for completing your survey.
Turn your customers’ mobile phones into digital comment cards for immediate feedback and minimal effort. You or the manager of a particular site can receive feedback from customers via their cell phones. The service, Talk to the Manager, provides a custom sign and a phone number that allow patrons to send customised text messages directly to your business. Businesses can respond to issues instantly and text back. Customers can write reviews on the Talk to the Manager site.
Not only do surveys provide a comprehensive market analysis, but they also allow you to monitor performance and learn about your customers’ demographics. Even crowd-sourcing information is possible. A restaurant, for example, could ask its customers to fill out a survey asking what new dish they would like to see.
Chat with Customers One-on-One
You can chat face-to-face with your customers if you own a brick-and-mortar store. You can still ask for feedback from customers if your business is online.
You can find out what works and what doesn’t in just a few moments. Prepare questions to ask a client if you get the chance to talk to them. Find out what your customers like, dislike, or if they want any additional products or services. Find out what you can do to improve your service or if customers have any problems. Track the feedback to improve your reputation as well as your bottom line.
Be proactive on the Internet
The small dental office in Van Nuys has received hundreds of positive Yelp online reviews. What is the secret? It’s really simple. Patients receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card for each online Yelp review. It doesn’t matter if the review is positive or not, patients will receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card regardless of what they say.
Yelp can be used to find out what customers think and feel. Google+ also features reviews, where customers can comment on a business and prospective consumers can visit the site to learn more. Monitor your business profile on all sites to be able to respond to any negative feedback or thank poster for positive feedback. Another way to collect feedback is through a business Twitter or Facebook feed. Encourage your customers to follow or like your feeds.
Host an online focus group
Focus groups are a quick and effective way to find out how people perceive your business if you have a good marketing budget. Focus groups are small groups of people that are led through a discussion with the help of an experienced moderator. The questions are usually open-ended in order to get data that is not typically available through other feedback methods.
Ask Employees
Your employees can provide valuable feedback to your business. They are the ones on the front line. Set up a feedback system so your employees can offer suggestions based on comments and observations from customers.
Encouragement of employee feedback also has another major benefit. According to research, employees who are engaged and feel heard are less likely than others to look for a new job. Employees who receive positive reviews may be more likely to participate if they are offered a raffle prize or some other incentive.
All reviews will be responded to
Pay attention to your reviews as soon as they start coming in! It is easy to respond to positive reviews. Positive reviews are gold! Follow these steps to get the most from a satisfied customer’s review.
- Thank you
- Reiterate the positive
- You’d love to sell to/see them again
- Mentioning other products and services
- Share your review with the team
- Share the review with your social media channels or website.
While it may be tempting ignore negative reviews or pretend that they don’t even exist, this strategy will make you look aloof and careless. By addressing any negative feedback in a tactful manner, you can demonstrate your commitment to customers and prevent negative issues from escalating. Do not take a bad review personally.
- Respond to emails in a timely fashion
- Keep your professionalism and courtesy.
- Understanding your customers’ experience
- If you make a mistake, be honest.
- If appropriate, apologize
- Contact the poster and ask them to remove it from line.
- Be authentic
Final Thoughts
Small businesses are growing at an accelerated rate in every industry, even during times of economic uncertainty. There’s a good chance that your business is surrounded by a number of competitors, and more are on their way. The best way to stand out is by getting feedback from your customers. Brands that have happy customers, a high-profile reputation and a positive attitude are well positioned to gain market share. Consider incorporating customer feedback strategies in your marketing strategy and paying attention to both positive and negative reviews.
