It seems like there’s a new social media platform popping up every week. And you know what the “experts” tell you:
“This one is going to revolutionize your business!!! Get on it early!”
So you spend the time getting setup, creating and posting content… maybe even hire a Millennial to help you (they’re great with these things).
Then… what? No more sales?
Darn it!
What are people actually looking for with social media?
Social PROOF
They want to know that other people, like them, support what you’re doing.
But there’s a better way…
It’s time to OWN your social engagement in a way that actually generates more sales…
The best part?
You (should) already have the capability to do it.
The Magic of Customer Reviews
Don’t freak out on me. I know some people are terrified of reviews because they think they’ll get a bunch of negative ones and it’ll kill their business. Well I’m going to tell you how to turn even negative reviews into a plus for your company.
First, let’s start with the obvious:
How many times have you read reviews on an eCommerce site?
Trust me, you’re no different from the people visiting your site.
Why are customer reviews so powerful?
To steal a quote from one of my mentors:
You can never say about yourself, what someone else can say about you.
If I were to say my company has the best eCommerce software in the world, I’ll probably sound like an arrogant jerk (or at least a pretty horrible salesman).
But if I’ve got dozens of people who will say that about my company, now we’re getting somewhere.
It’s the same for every one of your products… and your company as a whole (especially around things like customer support).
More and more, people are basing buying decisions on what their peers do (we’re all Sheeple to some extent).
My Top 3 Tips for Using Reviews To Drive Sales
Getting Great Reviews
This part is the easiest. Just ask!
You can:
- Put a link in their receipt or shipping email
- Follow up via email a week or two later
I do NOT suggest providing incentives for reviews. It sets up the wrong expectation and you’re likely to get reviews that are obviously canned.
Formatting Reviews
Remember… people are looking for the opinions of other PEOPLE, so…
- Whenever possible, include the reviewer’s name (or at least a username or something)
- If you can add a photo or social media avatar, even better!
- Include the number of other reviews the person has written
- Mark if the review is from a “Verified Owner”
- Let people mark each review with “Was this review helpful?”… then display that information with the review
Also, make it easy for people to find and browse reviews:
- Make sure the average star rating, number of reviews and link to read them is at the VERY TOP of the product page
- Include a short “title” or pull-quote
- If the review is long, only include the first paragraph or so in the product detail page (with a link to the full review)
- Only show a few (preferably of your choice) on the product page (again, put a link to all reviews)
Dealing With Bad Reviews
We’re talking about HONESTY. That’s why this works.
So let’s be honest with each other: not everyone is going to think your products are all rainbows and unicorns. If you’re doing enough business, someone is eventually going to hate one of your products.
So what do you when you get that bad review?
I actually suggest a two-pronged approach.
First, if the review is truly unfounded, false or attacks someone personally, then ditch it. These people just want attention and no good will come out of them. Give them their money back and move on.
For everyone else, the answer is to provide a POSITIVE RESPONSE. Publish the review. Then add a comment from one of your support people:
- Apologize
- Explain the situation
- Then explain how you FIXED IT