Stay Relevant: Develop Your Review Discipline
Updated: Oct 4, 2022
Online reviews will not only increase your credibility, but they will also improve your SEO ranking on search engines. Without online reviews, you risk losing potential customers due to a lack of information. One of the perks of online testimonials is that you do not need previous clients to leave reviews, anyone can! To learn more about these, read our article, The Difference Between Validated & Nonvalidated Online Reviews.
The Ask – Creating your Template
You can create a templated format for your review request, and create a discipline for sending out at specific intervals. It’s a good idea to send the message before the transaction closes and to have the links already prepped to send. Leave room for details about that client; you want it to feel personalized, and not like a generic automatic message. Keep your email short and concise to ensure they can quickly see what you’re asking from them. If you prefer to use a DM or text instead of an email, that works too! Test out which method receives a higher follow-through. In our experience, using Facebook Messenger has a high response rate, and is a great reminder to connect with your previous clients on social media. By using a template, this process can become a quick task that you can quickly knock out within a few minutes.
The Follow Up – Getting the Results
Another key to these templates is sending a follow-up message after the transaction closes if the client doesn’t respond. Give it some time in between these follow-up emails. Keep it light and casual, check your tone so that you don’t sound too aggressive. Convey how much a review would mean to you and your business without being too pushy. We wouldn’t recommend sending more than two reminders spaced apart.
Recent Reviews are Better – Create a Schedule
Another important thing is that you are consistently getting new reviews. Your reviews must be recent. This shows that you are actively practicing in the area and that your clients are happy. Every time you close a transaction, be diligent about sending out your requests. You can also comb through your database to find past clients, referral partners, industry professionals, and more to increase your reviews on Google and Facebook. To learn more about getting reviews from your network, read our article, Triple Your Reviews, by Going 360.
A current review will boost your SEO ranking, so you’ll want to focus on increasing your numbers. To learn about using reviews to boost your SEO, check out our article, Digital Reviews: How to Get Them and Which Review Sites are Necessary.
Collecting testimonials takes time, but it is a valuable tool for building your credibility and ensuring that potential clients can find you online. Happy clients make great social content, so get in the habit of posting your reviews when you receive a new one! By actively posting reviews from clients, your audience will see the care you consistently dedicate to your clients.