Boost Your Online Presence with the Power of the Review

In today’s digital age, word of mouth marketing has taken on a whole new level of significance. With just one click, customers can share their experience and post real time reviews, visible to the world, all for free. In fact, online reviews and user generated content have become some of the most influential factors in shaping consumer decisions, particularly when it comes to choosing where to eat and where to shop. According to brightlocal.com Local Consumer Review Survey, 84% of customers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

As a result, savvy business owners must pay attention to their online reputation and actively cultivate positive reviews to establish a competitive edge.

Customer feedback provides insights into what consumers love, helping you identify areas of strength and areas that require improvement. Analysing feedback allows you to fine tune operations, creating an even better customer experience, helping attract new customers and build a loyal following.

Besides seeking out positive reviews, it’s also important to keep an eye out for any negative comments. Promptly addressing negativity demonstrates to your customers you take their feedback seriously and are committed to delivering a high-quality experience. Taking time to listen to feedback, make any necessary changes and respond to customer concerns in a timely and respectful manner builds a loyal following, ensuring the long-term success of your independent restaurant. The odd 'rogue' comment is often easily recognised by the consumer as such when the other reviews are all positive and you respond promptly and positively to the negative comment.

Positive customer feedback, and 'likes' or 'follows' not only encourage others to try your business, but can also lead to cost savings. At Expression Insurance we reward you when your customers love your business as we discount your price based on your great customer reviews.

What steps can you take to increase the chances of customers leaving reviews?

· Provide a great service - this is the first step in getting positive reviews. Make sure your staff are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable with your products or services. Ensure they have the skills to handle any complaints and concerns in a professional manner. When customers are happy, feel valued and appreciated they are more likely to leave positive comments.

· Ask for reviews. You can ask, for example, if customers found what they were looking for, or enjoyed their experience, and go on to mention that online reviews are always helpful. You can also include a gentle prompting note on the bottom of the receipt or near the till point.

· Make it easy to leave a review. Include links on your business profile to review sites like Google, Trip Advisor or Yelp.

· Follow up. Where the opportunity arises you could send a follow-up email or SMS thanking customers for their visit, encouraging them to leave a review. This can be personalised which helps boost the chances of a response.

· Respond to reviews. Replying to both positive and negative reviews shows you value your customer opinions.

· Create a page with review comments / testimonials on your website. This allows your customers to see the great feedback you're receiving all in one place. It also helps encourage other customers to provide feedback.

In conclusion, in today's world where anyone can share their opinions online, customer reviews have become an essential tool for businesses to build their reputation, boosting revenue. Remember, all customer reviews, whether good or bad, hold value. Leverage the power of customer feedback to increase brand awareness and drive sales for your business.

If you want to find out more about how Expression supports independent business owners who love their business visit www.expressioninsurance.co.uk