SME growth in the new normal: how to get more online reviews
Afbeelding van Gerd Altmann via Pixabay
The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted the economy in unprecedented ways. Sure enough, the SME sector felt the brunt of the fallout as countries went into quarantine in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Now as restrictions begin to ease up, businesses will need to take this time of recovery to rethink the way they engage their audience.
Indeed, it only took three months for many brick-and-mortar enterprises to close down. On the other hand, some were able to thrive as they migrated their marketing efforts online. Seeing as consumers are encouraged to stay at home throughout this pandemic, the reliance on eCommerce has been amplified.
And given the fact that there are restrictions to in-store visits, customers will have to make decisions based on what others think about a certain product or service.
Last year, 88% of consumers wrote reviews about a product or service they purchased. In this current situation, online reviews are becoming even more important to local SMEs as they need to build credibility and attract new customers.
It’s only a matter of figuring out how to get more positive sentiments for your brand. Here are a few tips you need to stay competitive in the “new normal”:
1. Send emails
Using a list of contacts, you can initiate an email campaign that automatically sends reminders for customers to leave a review about their recent purchases. You only need to set up an email marketing funnel that triggers automatic sendouts after every successful transaction. This should encourage your customers to give their feedback after using the product for the first time. For this, you need to consider the right email automation platform to use.
2. Be responsive and proactive
What do you do when someone leaves a positive review about your product? For sure, you don’t want to leave your customer hanging. Their feedback is valuable and responding to every query or opinion can leave a lasting impression on potential customers. It lets people know you value what your audiences have to say, thereby encouraging them to engage in the same way. So, don’t just leave reviews as they are. Make the effort to actually read and respond to them. Who knows? Maybe you can find crucial insights that can help develop your business.
3. Feature your reviews
Another way you can encourage people to engage your brand is to pick out the best review and feature it on your website or social media page. Not only will you generate more customers, but sharing reviews can also encourage more people to give their insights about your product or service. Just don’t forget to mention and thank the person who gave the glowing review about your brand.
When buying online, the best way you can vouch for a product’s quality is by reading online reviews about it. As your SME migrates its marketing efforts online, it’s important to focus on generating a positive appeal among your audience. Use these tips to generate social proof for your brand.
