The more positive reviews a business has online, the better they appear to be. The firsthand take that online reviews provide is critical for maintaining a reputation within your industry. People rely on each other, to be honest about their dealings with a brand before making a purchase. However, it can be difficult to gain those positive online reviews. The best way to generate reviews for your business is to be proactive and ask for a review.  

Ask for Reviews via Email

          One of the most effective ways to generate reviews for your business is through email campaigns. If you have an email list, asking for reviews is a cakewalk. Below we discuss how to ask for a review in an email.

How to ask for a review in an email

·      Email Blast

Email blasts are excellent to use when you’re asking a general batch of people for their opinion. These can be sent to your entire email list or a targeted group. With an email blast, you’ll be able to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction based on the replies that are received.  

Example:

Hi,

Thank you for your business. Please tell us about your experience with [the business name] by leaving a review. Your feedback helps us create a better experience for you and for all of our customers.

Leave a review here: <link>

- The [the business name] Team

·     Personal Email

Customers appreciate personalization in their communication with a business. Especially when there is a good business relationship present. Asking for a review from a select group of customers will likely yield high-quality reviews.  

Example:

Hello Sarah,

It was a pleasure doing business with you. Thank you for being a loyal customer for 3 years!

As you may know, many people like you rely on online reviews to make sure they get the best service possible. With that said, we would love if you could leave us a testimonial on our Google page.

You can click this link to leave your feedback and help the people like you find a dentist who really takes care of their teeth.

Thank you for taking time out of your day. We greatly appreciate it!

Best,

Sam

·     Organizational Email

Generating reviews does not have to be left up to just the business owner. Employees can quickly get involved by sending personal emails to their clients. Employees can even add a review request to their signature.

Example:

Hello Cody!

It was a pleasure working with you on your project. Thank you for your business!

Online reviews from awesome customers like you help others to feel confident about choosing [the business name], and will really help us grow our business. Could you take 60 seconds to leave us a review on [review site]? Here’s a direct link: <link>

I would really appreciate it. Thank you in advance for helping us out!

Best,

Ashley

Ask for Reviews via SMS

          While emails are great, texting can garner far higher open rates. As people spend more time on their phones, the best way for a business to reach them will change. If you send a customer a text survey or a review request via text, you’re likely to gain more reviews. Like emails, you can have these texts automatically sent out with a poll or a link to leave a review.  

Example:

Hi! We’d love your feedback on your experience with Evelyn’s Wine Bar & Bistro, please click the link to leave a review: <link>

When to Ask for Reviews

          Requesting reviews can be daunting or even embarrassing sometimes. However, there are many ways to make asking for and receiving a review easy for you and the customer. One of the best times to ask for a review is right after a service is completed or a couple days/weeks after a product is purchased.  You can ask for reviews directly on your website, through email or SMS messages. From there, you can lead your clients to leave reviews on review platforms like Google, Yelp, etc.

Get Reviews Where They Matter

          It’s essential to have your reviews listed where your potential customers can easily see. Review platforms like Google, Facebook, and so many more are where your customers are going before they contact your business. In fact, 93% of local consumers use reviews to determine if a local business is good or bad (BrightLocal, 2017). There are industry-specific review platforms. Be sure to guide your reviews to where it matters most for your brand.

View the best review sites for your customers to leave a review on here.

Ask for Reviews with Reviews911

          The review generating services provided by Reviews911 allow small business owners to leverage their current customer base to build a better online reputation. The company has developed a specialty platform to help small business owners generate higher star ratings and reviews online. Send email and text review requests with the ease of one user-friendly platform. Learn how to ask your customers for reviews by visiting https://reviews911.net/.