84% of shoppers trust personalized online reviews.
What is a personalized review? A personalized review is a review left for a business, that includes names of those the customer worked with, and hopefully some information about the service or product that they received from the business. Sure, these reviews may take 30-40 seconds longer to write, but in the end they’re worth it for both the business and the customer.
What is the impact of personalized reviews?
Shows Legitimacy
Unfortunately, nowadays many businesses have reviews that they either paid for, or received from a friend or family member who has never actually worked with their business. Because of this, proving the legitimacy of your online reviews goes a long way with customers in search of a business to work with. When people know that your reviews are legitimate, they are much more likely to trust your business as a whole, and want to work with you. Receiving personalized reviews shows that people, just like those in need of your services, have had positive experiences with you.
Credibility in online reviews is absolutely crucial in today’s fast-paced online world!
Becomes Relatable
It’s hard to relate to a review that just says, “Great!” or “Nice work!” However, when someone gives a bit of a backstory and mentions who, specifically, they worked with at your business, it becomes much easier for others to relate to that review and want a similar experience. For example, “Ron came to my house and fixed our bathroom shower, after it had been only squirting us with cold water for several days! We are so happy to be able to take warm showers again, and we highly recommend Ron’s Plumbing. He is so friendly and easy to work with.”
See how much more trustworthy and relatable the second review example was than the first? It really doesn’t take much more time for the reviewer to write out, but it goes a long way for a business’ online presence.
Opportunity for Personalized Response
People love when they are heard out- even in positive situations. It’s a great idea to respond to positive reviews, just as much as negative reviews. People will like knowing that you cared enough to thank them for taking the time out of their day to help you out, by leaving a review for you online. When someone leaves a personalized review, it’s much easier for the business owner & employees to recall that customer and service, which makes for a personalized response. What does a personalized response look like? “Hi Jenna! Thanks for your kind review. We are glad you enjoyed working with us, and we look forward to working with you in the future. Remember: You can prolong the life of your carpet by following those tips we mentioned to you.”
Again, this doesn’t take long to write out and it shows the customer that you remember them and that you care about their issues, and want to work with them again in the future.
How can you get customers to leave personalized reviews for your business?
Display positive customer service and friendly interactions
Remind your customer, after you complete a service, how much an online review would help you
Ask your customer to mention you in the review
Remind your customer of your name after you complete a service for them
Call your customer by name, and show interest in their conversations with you
For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, subscribe to the FreshLime Newsletter here. Connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. And last of all, if any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!