The importance of asking for reviews

Reviews can be very impactful. When people give honest feedback about a business based on their experience, others tend to listen. Many potential customers read an average of ten reviews before committing to a brand. A few sentences from a review can be more powerful for consumers than an entire website. This is because people find customer reviews more trustworthy than what a business may say about themselves, removing any conflict of interest from the equation. Companies who understand the importance of customer feedback can leverage this strategy across their website, social media profiles, and online business profiles, especially when a difference of half a star can be all it takes to choose your brand over the competition.

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How to ask customers for reviews

Whether you’re looking for more website reviews, five stars on Facebook, or to improve your rankings with customer testimonials on the top search engines, there are many ways to reach out to customers, including:

• Over the phone (or text);
• In person;
• Via email (personal, company, blasts, and signatures);
• Your website (preferably a reviews page);
• On receipts or invoices;
• Through social media (posts or direct messages).

Asking customers for reviews over the phone

If your business is customer support-heavy, there are many opportunities for you and your employees to ask customers for reviews over the phone. But choose which clients you ask wisely. Avoid asking for testimonials from someone who just had a challenging problem with your company. However, the perfect candidate is a satisfied, happy customer who thanked you for your help. Your script can read something like this:

I’m so happy we could help you today, and we really appreciate your business. We’d appreciate it if you would take the time to share your experience on [review platform]. Customers love to see that if an issue should arise, they’ll get the support they need, and customer reviews are the most effective way to show that.

Making your customer feel valued and appreciated can increase their loyalty and the chance of sending in a review.

Asking over text message

Text messaging is gaining popularity as a way to interact with clients conveniently. There are two ways you can ask for a review through text:

• Personal request: Send your customers a friendly text message letting them know your work is complete. Upon their reply, you could ask if they’d like their invoice emailed and follow up with a request for a review, for example:

We would love to hear your feedback. When you have a minute, please review our work and let us know how we did. Just click here: [link]. Thanks in advance!

• SMS service: You can set up automated SMS texts after purchases or appointments. Here’s an example:

Thanks for visiting [Business Name]! Please share your feedback about your experience here [link].

Asking for reviews in person

While requesting reviews face-to-face can be intimidating, it can be very effective. Every opportunity to ask for a review can significantly benefit your organization. There are a few ways you can approach this:

Ask in response to praise

The best scenario is when a customer approaches you with thanks and praise. You can express appreciation that they took the time to provide this fantastic feedback and then make the ask. For example:

Happy customer: [thanking and praising]

You: That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you so very much for taking the time and sharing your feedback. We really work hard to [do what they’re praising you for].

Customer: No worries. Thanks for the excellent service!

You: You know, I wonder if you wouldn’t mind writing this glowing testimonial on our review site [platform]? Comments like these can help prospective customers choose us with confidence.

Customer: Absolutely!

Use conversation to create opportunities

Another great way to ask for reviews is at the checkout. Strike up a conversation and ask simple questions about their experience with your business, including:

• Were you able to find everything you were looking for?
• Have you used [the product they’re purchasing] before?
• How is it? I use [similar product], but I’ve always wanted to try this one.
• I hope you had a positive experience with us. Is there anything we can improve on or that you especially liked?

Don’t push too hard

It’s important not to ask for a review after one positive remark. This scenario can make the customer feel like you only care about the testimonial rather than their experience. Instead, pay attention to their verbal and nonverbal cues. If they give a short response, don’t make eye contact, and appear to be done with the conversation, leave it at that. In contrast, continue the conversation if they give you a positive response and additional feedback. Toward the end of your interactions, you can ask for a review. For example:

Thank you, that’s terrific feedback. That’s the kind of honesty we like to share with potential customers so they feel confident in choosing us. If you’re comfortable doing so, it’d be great if you could share the feedback you just gave me in a [platform name] review.

Read more: Word of Mouth Marketing

Asking for reviews through email

Sending emails to ask for reviews is a solid business approach. First, you’ve just conducted business with them, so there shouldn’t be an issue with them not opening your email. Second, email is a great way to test various formats and scripts. Since you can embed your link right in the email, all the client has to do is click, and they’ll land straight on your review platform. The following are two examples of review emails:

Email #1

Hi [Name],

Thanks to people like you, the number of [business name] customers has doubled from last year! Whatever we’re doing right, we want to keep doing it. So please tell us!

If you have a minute, we’d love it if you could visit [platform] and write a quick review. A couple of sentences is all it takes.

Help us to continue to provide the best possible experience for you and to help prospective customers understand how [business name] can help make their life easier.

Thank you in advance!

[Your Business Name]

Email #2

Hey [Name]!

Did you know that positive reviews from terrific customers like yourself help other [demographic niche] feel more confident about choosing [business name]?

Could you please go to [review platform] and take a minute to share your happy experiences?

Thank you in advance. We’re forever grateful.

[Your Business Name]

You can involve your employees in the review process by stressing the significance customer reviews have on your business. Provide them with your preferred templates and ask them to send personal emails to customers. When your employees know they’re contributing to the company’s growth, you can empower them with confidence.

Related: Job Satisfaction and Happiness at Work: A Guide

Asking for reviews on your website

You can include calls to action (CTAs) throughout your website asking for reviews, but it can be more beneficial to have a dedicated testimonial or review page accessible through your navigation menu. Many prospective customers often seek reviews before considering doing business with a company. Make it easy for customers to find your testimonial and review page so they can head straight to it when they land on your site.

Including previous reviews on your page allows your prospects to make better decisions, gives your existing customers an idea of how short it can be, and can help them get started. Reviews often contain significant keywords that can also boost your website’s SEO.

Related: What is Networking and Why is it Important?

Asking for reviews on social media

When asking for reviews on social media, concentrate your efforts on the platform with the most users—Facebook, which has over 3 billion monthly users. Here are some tips when posting review requests on social media:

Include a link

The easiest way to get a Facebook review is to post and add a link. For example:

We appreciate our customers! Show us some love and leave us a review! [link to review platform].

Use existing reviews to create posts

Another option is to share incoming reviews on your feed and add a link for others to leave their own review.