How many of you ask your customers to leave a review?

[Kellie Hiler]

It amazes me how many consumers will look for reviews before they use a company, but never leave reviews themselves.
I have just recently started to ask my customers to leave reviews and it's like pulling teeth! Even all of my long time customers who I know are very happy with us! I guess they just get busy and forget, or they don't truly understand how valuable they are to someone.
And if they do finally submit a review its to Yelp which ends up filtering it because it's the first time they've reviewed something. I personally don't bother with Yelp, but I believe someone told me that we have a review on there.
I think I am going to design some type of incentive coupon or some kind of offer for those who submit a review to Facebook and or Google.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what is a good way to go about doing this?

 

[PrimaDonna]

It is a challenge. We've found that we get a really great response rate using old fashioned feedback cards. They can fill them out at the end of the appt. and hand to tech, or mail them back to us. We get one on most every job. They don't help our web presence or SEO, but we do scan them and upload them to our Facebook page. We are in the process of revamping our website and they will then be uploaded to that so people can click through them. It's not the best, but better than nothing.

What I do like about it is that you can tell they are legitimate because you can see all the different handwriting....anyone can beat the system if they are a bit savvy. Yelp is not big around here like it is out west and for Mikey. If it ever takes hold we may have to encourage that type of review more.

Here is a screen shot of our Facebook page showing how we display them.

I have a dedicated "album" for them so if someone wants, they can browse them all.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152449982447258.1073741827.319745177257&type=3

 

[rjwood]

I'm thinking that perhaps 1%-2% leave reviews for me. I've tried everything to encourage customers to post them. As long as I can keep the Google reviews going I can suspend my advertising. I haven't advertised since the end of October and I've been ahead of last year on a monthly basis in spite of it.

 

[smastio]

It amazes me how many consumers will look for reviews before they use a company, but never leave reviews themselves....
I think I am going to design some type of incentive coupon or some kind of offer for those who submit a review to Facebook and or Google.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what is a good way to go about doing this?

Done...


All they have to do is click "one button" to spread the word or leave a review message if want. If they leave a review you can give them a credit in the SAFE program manually or if their friends books online, it automatically gives them one.

BTW... I agree that people want to help as long as it is not inconvenient to them. Unfortunately most people think it tends to be inconvenient or forget in this fast world. That's why we built it... Steve

 

[steve_64]

The company I hired sent me a form to hand my customers with specific info on where to go to give a rreview. This is all new to me so I cant say how well it works yet but it makes sense to me. They need to know where to give a review that matters.

 

[rjwood]

I give very explicit instructions on my invoices (and verbally) on how to write a review and where to do it.

 

[PrimaDonna]

We've found you have to catch them in the moment. If you leave a paper behind asking them to review you and providing instructions...they likely get caught up in life as soon as you walk out the door. That is why we do it right then and there. You still have their attention.

If their households are anything like mine, its on to the next thing and the paper gets shuffled, tossed or just forgotten about even if I have the best intentions to post.

For those that found us online or through a facebook group, we will often turn the laptop toward them and ask if they would mind logging in to their FB right then and posting on our page or in that group where they got the recommendation for us. That seems to work well too.

And an incentive - "If you post on our page (yelp, google etc) right now while I'm here I'll give you... ($10 off the bill, a free bottle of spot cleaner etc.)

 

[Dmreed4311]

This is what I give my customer to make it easy on them in the review department. it forwards to where ever i want a review.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

And an incentive - "If you post on our page (yelp, google etc) right now while I'm here I'll give you... ($10 off the bill, a free bottle of spot cleaner etc.)

I really like that idea! Because you are right, as soon as you walk out the door, they move on...and I did just happen to get 4 cases of the spotter bottles last week. I really like it! Thank you Meg! Great idea!
I mostly want the reviews to go to Google more than anywhere because just like @rjwood said, it really helps your website. So I think I will try the 2 pronged approach and ask them to do that and then ask them if they would like our FB page and leave a quick review there as well.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Done...


All they have to do is click "one button" to spread the word or leave a review message if want. If they leave a review you can give them a credit in the SAFE program manually or if their friends books online, it automatically gives them one.

BTW... I agree that people want to help as long as it is not inconvenient to them. Unfortunately most people think it tends to be inconvenient or forget in this fast world. That's why we built it... Steve

That seems like an awesome program Steve! I really like the idea of it for sure. However, at the moment I am in a situation where I am trying to keep my monthly business costs down to the ultimate minimum. Also, I don't want to pay for someone else to do my scheduling as I prefer to do that myself. Being a one truck operation, I like to keep a very hands on approach with my customers and thoroughly discuss the jobs with them before I get there so that I know what I am walking into. But Fittlebug seems like a good option at some point when I am ready to start bumping things up so to speak. Thank you!

 

[renegade_cowboy]

You can put an option on your website that allows for reviews or via email.. in your thank you email you can have the customer like and share your business on facebook or send them to yelp or where ever to review you externally.

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

In regard to Yelp, they frown on page owners from asking for reviews. You've already found out that infrequent reviewers have their posts stuck "in the back".

Few I've talked to on the subject of reviews and other on-line marketing issues have identified the most recent elephant in the room. That "reviews" have become the marketing tool that on-line companies hoped it would be. Businesses are being driven to focus on reviews, like sheep. Why are you thinking about reviews? Why aren't you talking about your referrals, re-peats and new customers through face to face efforts.

Start monitoring the calls you get that you can honestly say picked up the phone because of the reviews you have on-line?, all your reviews, web site and others. Track them, all the way to a deposit in you bank. If you have and they add up to a significant portion of your gross income then I'd say you better get busy at accumulating a bunch more reviews.

 

[Spurlington]

This is what I give my customer to make it easy on them in the review department. it forwards to where ever i want a review.
View attachment 10894

You could also add - Customers would be participating in keeping the cost down when they leave a review. Without internet traffic youre forced to do alternative advertising which will be figured into the cost of doing business which will result in higher cleaning prices. So please leave a review to help keep cost down. This may or may not work and maybe reworded to your own idea - but that would push me to write a review.

 

[Mikey P]

I ask first, "Are you an active Yelper, do you leave reviews and use the app on your phone?"..

The last lady said she did...obviously not..

Filtered reviews are OK for taking a screen shot of and posting on your website. If they ever do become active/logged in their old reviews will finally show.
My SCruz page always fluctuates up or down by three more so jobs because of this.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

A

You can put an option on your website that allows for reviews or via email.. in your thank you email you can have the customer like and share your business on facebook or send them to yelp or where ever to review you externally.

nother great idea.....thanks Brent!

 

[Kellie Hiler]

In regard to Yelp, they frown on page owners from asking for reviews. You've already found out that infrequent reviewers have their posts stuck "in the back".

Few I've talked to on the subject of reviews and other on-line marketing issues have identified the most recent elephant in the room. That "reviews" have become the marketing tool that on-line companies hoped it would be. Businesses are being driven to focus on reviews, like sheep. Why are you thinking about reviews? Why aren't you talking about your referrals, re-peats and new customers through face to face efforts.

Start monitoring the calls you get that you can honestly say picked up the phone because of the reviews you have on-line?, all your reviews, web site and others. Track them, all the way to a deposit in you bank. If you have and they add up to a significant portion of your gross income then I'd say you better get busy at accumulating a bunch more reviews.

I don't focus on Yelp at all. But I want reviews for Google, FB and even a few for my website. It is not my sole focus. My sole focus has ALWAYS been referrals and repeat customers, but I am trying to make a well rounded campaign that covers all areas of Internet possibilies. Reviews help, I read reviews on everything I buy that is of significance, and many people do. I think that to completely ignore them is not a good idea.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

You could also add - Customers would be participating in keeping the cost down when they leave a review. Without internet traffic youre forced to do alternative advertising which will be figured into the cost of doing business which will result in higher cleaning prices. So please leave a review to help keep cost down. This may or may not work and maybe reworded to your own idea - but that would push me to write a review.

Agreed! I already use that to solicit referrals and people understand it and appreciate it, never thought of using it for reviews as well. Thank you!

 

[Spurlington]

Yes - good idea when explaining the referral rewards program, emphasize the fact that it allows us/yous to keep our cost down which in turn keeps the price down

 

[Kevin B]

It amazes me how many consumers will look for reviews before they use a company, but never leave reviews themselves.
I have just recently started to ask my customers to leave reviews and it's like pulling teeth! Even all of my long time customers who I know are very happy with us! I guess they just get busy and forget, or they don't truly understand how valuable they are to someone.
And if they do finally submit a review its to Yelp which ends up filtering it because it's the first time they've reviewed something. I personally don't bother with Yelp, but I believe someone told me that we have a review on there.
I think I am going to design some type of incentive coupon or some kind of offer for those who submit a review to Facebook and or Google.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what is a good way to go about doing this?

I have not read the responses yet, but we have found about 1 in 100 will leave a review. Its hard. We beg and it can still be very hard. When we send out our invoice, we have a section in the email(we are paperless with SM) that addresses reviews and how important they are to us.

 

[Kevin B]

Also, when we find a "Yelper", we make sure they know how important Yelp reviews are. About 1 in 2 yelp reviews stick

 

[steve_64]

I get a message on my voicemailevery couple months from very happy customers. I need to record those. I lose them on my phone.

 

[Nampa Carpet Cleaning]

I stopped asking for reviews. It was to awkward of a moment and most don't understand how to do it or what you are talking about. I only have 23 on Google

 

[Kevin B]

It

I stopped asking for reviews. It was to awkward of a moment and most don't understand how to do it or what you are talking about. I only have 23 on Google

I dont see it as awkward.

Repeat customer. They love you. "It would mean so much to me if you like what I do to leave me a review. Many people experience bad carpet cleanings and by leaving a review they are more likely to use us.

New Customer. How did you hear about us? Google, great. Just like you found us on google, others will too and it would really mean alot to use if you left a review. Thanks!!

 

[Kellie Hiler]

It

I dont see it as awkward.

Repeat customer. They love you. "It would mean so much to me if you like what I do to leave me a review. Many people experience bad carpet cleanings and by leaving a review they are more likely to use us.

New Customer. How did you hear about us? Google, great. Just like you found us on google, others will too and it would really mean alot to use if you left a review. Thanks!!

Awesome! Well put!

 

[TomKing]

We have a set system of cards in the home, review forms, follow up satisfaction calls and email instructions.

At best you get 1-2 Google monthly.

The point is to keep trying it makes a difference.

We are behind on Yelp it is just arriving in the midwest.

 

[WillS]

We only ask for Facebook reviews. The customer receives a $20 service credit for a future cleaning, we cal it a review credit. It gets logged onto their account in our SM, or we tell them to sign up for an online account through Fittlebug and they will see the credit there. ALL of the techs are trained to ask for these reviews after the cleaning. We have almost 200 on FB. Since Yelp drops reviews off, I no longer have them ask for reviews on there or Google. To difficult to explain signing up for Google Plus, finding the page, blah blah blah. Even our older customers use Facebook, even then they do to keep in touch with family, they will usually ask us to show them how to do it at the end of the cleaning.

Oh.. and if they leave a bad review.. they owe us $20.

 

[Beeks]

Our company thrives on reviews. We ask each customer during follow up calls the day after cleaning, to leave us a review on the platform they found us on. Our techs also leave a "thank you for your business" letter as they leave the home, extensively explaining the importance of their review. As our totals from each site climbed to 1st or 2nd in the area, we noticed a significant increase in business. Angies-550 Yelp 19 Thumbtack 52 Google 20+

 

[Wing It]

We ask happy customers for reviews. Lots of our customers find us through reviews of some kind as we do very little paid advertising. Yelp got the ball rolling and neighborhood Facebook sites are huge. An app called Nextdoor is growing in middle Tn and many have found us through that. Using a neighbors review can sometimes answer some starter questions like, does this company come to my neighborhood?- or - what do they charge for similar style homes? The key is 2 parts 1. Do something above and beyond they witness 2. Make it clear how helpful reviews are to your biz as most don't know the value of a good review.