How To Drive More Positive Word-of-Mouth Reviews

Word-of-mouth reviews can be the best thing since sliced bread if you own a small business. In addition, word-of-mouth reviews are more important than ever in our online-positioned society. Online reviews are accessible for everything from doctors to dog walkers. According to a study nearly 9 in 10 consumers read online reviews of local businesses and 72% of consumers say that they use positive reviews to determine whether a business is trustworthy.

Cutting Through The Noise

Customer word-of-mouth reviews cut through the noise of ‘just another Like or share’ through directly discussing (as well as displaying) the pros/cons of a specific product.

A Like or – alternatively – a share on Facebook is only valuable to companies if this user-generated action actually leads to some sort of real interaction with the brand, whether it’s a website visit or, even better yet, a clear request for additional information.

Here comes the power of user generated content (UGC) in the form of customer reviews. Customer reviews, once shared with particular peers or social contacts, actually offer direct information regarding the product, encouraging (or discouraging) friends as well as family in order to dive more into the company.

This is in sharp contrast to merely requesting or encouraging a friend to like a specific brand or product. This is as there is little or no connection between the referral as well as the actual customer experience. While WOM generates hype, its relevance is substantiated by the power of customer reviews.

Incredible Service, Incredible Staff: Give People a Reason to Rave About You

Word-of-mouth reviews are most successful with brands that are working really hard to do right with their customers. This means that a great offering partnered with excellent customer service. Obviously your product needs to be strong, however it’s just as important that the staff interacting with customers and clients is top-notch. Truth be told, it’s the positive human interactions most people get excited about. Consumers often encounter so much lousy customer service that in contrast, great service is a minor miracle for most.

Make Sure It Is Simple For Your Customers To Get In Touch With You

Poor communication practices will push away not only the customer who was trying to reach you as well as the other individuals he tells about his frustrating experience, as well. Supposed business phones which just ring and ring – and don’t even connect to an answering machine or which connect to full voice mail boxes – are pet peeves of ours.

Equally annoying are websites which don’t provide easily accessible contact information or the right hours of business. And don’t even get us started on individuals who run home businesses and have their business phone answered by their kids or have loud music playing or the television blaring in the background when you call them.

If you want to get positive word-of-mouth reviews, your small business needs to be contactable. Answer your emails promptly and get all the required phone services, including voice mail as well as call forwarding. And ensure that your business phone is answered properly in a way that will encourage business, not discourage it.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

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