This blog posts looks at how to get reviews from customers and where to put them!

1. Set up a Google account if you’ve not got one already.

Add your business details to Google Local (the video explains it nicely). Then, ask customers you know are happy to add a review. The more places you are found online, the more likely you will be found by those conducting random Google searches. This result will appear high in the rankings for people looking for your business, even if your website is not quite perfect yet!

2. Set up a Profile on Lookaly.

This is a reviews site for businesses in Northern Ireland. Review other businesses regularly, in order to keep your Profile and Business name in people’s minds. This will encourage new visitors to your website and hopefully customers to add in a review. The more reviews you have, the higher up your business appears in category listings.

3. Email customers and ask for reviews, including the permission to use them online and offline.

A client did this recently, and has now three very happy customers with delightfully-written reviews to share with the world.  Satisfied customers are usually only too happy to supply a testimonial. Add them to your website and other offline promotional literature.

4. Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn.

One of my previous bosses was so amenable, he supplied two reviews on LinkedIn!  From the Profile drop-down menu, click Recommendations. Specifically, these are linked to you, not your business, and can come from previous colleagues and employers.

5. Add the Facebook Reviews application.

If you are a Facebook user, add this application, then encourage business colleagues on Facebook to add something to it.  Regularly remind Friends that it’s there!

6. Collect testimonials on your own version of happy sheets or customer satisfaction forms.

Ensure that you ask people to indicate that they are happy for you to use the testimonial on online and offline marketing.  These can then be added to your website or other profiles online, or slipped into other promotional material.  One word of caution, keep them up to date; avoid using customer reviews that are years old.

We hope you found this information useful. Please comment to add any thoughts or questions or email info@sensei-winbeforehand.co.uk.