Get Your First 100 Google Reviews: A Guide Based on Customer Journey

Google reviews  helps people to leave their feedback and their experience after interacting with a business. These reviews are crucial because they showcase how consumers perceive and choose to engage with businesses. As a business owner reviews can help you to attract new customers, reduce your purchase cycle and reduce customer acquisition costs.

Spiegel Research Center: Roughly 95% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase.

Importance of Reviews:

• Many consumers rely on reviews to gauge the credibility of a business. Potential customers are more likely to trust positive reviews.

• Past experiences from others often guides people's buying decisions. A series of good reviews can lead to more sales.

• Reviews contribute to search engine rankings. More positive feedback can help a business appear higher in search results.

• By responding to reviews, businesses can enhance their online presence.
  

• They serve as social proof of the quality of products or services, something that modern consumers heavily rely on.
  

• Higher ratings and positive reviews can directly correlate with increased revenue for a business.

Why Should You Target 100 Reviews? 

Here’s why a target of this number helps:  

• A business with many reviews, especially positive ones, appears more trustworthy to potential customers than a business with just a few.
  

• The more reviews you have, the more likely your business will show up in search results on Google.
  

• A larger number of reviews provides more feedback, helping you understand needs and areas for improvement.
  

• Having both positive and negative feedback serves as evidence that many customers have interacted with your business
  

• Getting more reviews can be seen as a significant accomplishment, motivating you to aim for even higher goals.

Steps to Get Your First 100 Reviews

This can be a challenging  moment for businesses, establishing trust and credibility in the market. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve that milestone:

1. Request Reviews: 

Send an email or a message asking customers for a review after they've received and used your service. Timing matters when looking for feedback.

2. Mobile-Friendly Review Process: 

Make it as easy as possible for customers to leave a review. Direct links, clear instructions, and mobile-friendly interfaces can receive more responses.

3. Engage on Social Media: 

Actively post on social media and ask followers to share their experiences there.

4. Use Multiple Review Platforms: 

Sign up on popular review platforms related to your industry. Examples include Yelp, Google My Business or such review sites.

5. Leverage Existing Customers: 

If you have a list of loyal clients, reach out to them personally and ask them to leave a review.

6. Take Reviews In-Person: 

If you have a physical store or office, encourage visitors to leave a review using signage or by asking them at checkout.

7. Quality Matters: 

Ensure your  service is top-notch. Happy customers are more likely to leave favorable feedback.

8. Address Negative Feedback: 

If you receive any negative reviews, address them professionally and promptly. By doing so, you can turn a negative experience into a positive one. By  proactively working on your positive reviews, can reduce the impact of negative reviews. Here is a link to our calculator which helps you understand the impact of a negative review.

Understanding Your Customer Journey

Understanding your customer's journey is very essential for a small business. To do this effectively, it's important to understand when your customers interact with your business, so you can request feedback at the right moment. 

The customer journey defines the path that an individual takes with a business. Here's how it goes:

• Discovering the business, maybe from an advertisement, word of mouth, or a search online.
  

• Researching and learning more about the  services offered.
  

• Using the service and experiencing its benefits or drawbacks.
  

• Providing feedback, which could be in the form of  complaints, or praises.

Repeating the process if they liked what they got, leading to loyalty.

Understanding this journey helps businesses know what customers are thinking and feeling at each stage, allowing them to better meet their needs.

How to Encourage Reviews at Each Touchpoint

1. Website Visits

• Use pop-ups or banners asking for feedback after a purchase or engagement.
• Display existing positive reviews to inspire others to share their experiences.
  

2. Collect Reviews

• Respond to comments and messages promptly, fostering a relationship. Then, you can occasionally ask for reviews.
• Make it easy for customers to leave reviews.

3. In-Store Experience

• Train staff to ask for reviews during the checkout process, especially if the customer seems happy.
• Provide business cards or small flyers with QR code

4. Customer Service

•  After resolving a query or issue, send a follow-up email asking for feedback on the service experience.
• Have customer service representatives if they'd be willing to leave a review about their experience.

5. After-Purchase

• Be appreciative after rendering service and gently ask for a review.
• Check in after a few weeks to see how the product/service is and inquire if they'd share their thoughts.
  

6. Feedback

• Acknowledge Existing Reviews: Always respond to current reviews. When others see this, they'll be more inclined to leave one.
  
• Incentives: Offer small discounts or entry into a raffle for those who provide feedback, making sure it complies with platform policies.

By taking a tailored approach to each touchpoint, businesses can effectively encourage customers to share their experiences and gather valuable reviews.

Automating Your Review Process

While manually encouraging feedback at each touchpoint is effective, automating this process can save time and ensure consistency. This is where review management software comes into play.

1. Widgets for Website:

Easily embed widgets on your site that not only showcase positive feedback but also prompt visitors to leave their own feedback.

2. Turn Reviews into Social Media Posts: 

Our software lets you convert reviews into engaging social media content, bolstering your online reputation and encouraging more users to share.

3. Real-Time Collection:

The built-in QR code generator, you can create codes that directly link to review platforms, making it hassle-free for them.

4. Automate the collection process: 

Configure Freshreview for the review collection process, and set reminders to check in with customers about their experience.

This not only helps you to boost your business but also manage and enhance your small business.

Wrap-up

Getting your first 100 reviews might seem tough, but by following the steps we've laid out, you're on the right track. To make things even easier, consider automating the process with a tool like Freshreview. Check out the free trial. We won't ask for your credit card. Start your hassle-free journey now !