Techblog
How to get genuine customer referrals and reviews
Word-of-mouth is the oldest and most effective form of marketing for businesses. This means business needs to nurture customer relationships to get genuine referrals.
The best way to get new business is a referral from a happy customer. According to the Nielsen Online Survey 84% of respondents said they’d trust a referral from their family or friends when making a purchasing decision. Meanwhile Forrester Research shows that many consumers find ratings and reviews helpful when finding out about a product.
So given the huge business potential of customer referrals it's important to know how to get great word-of-mouth advertising from your customers.
Keep your customers happy
The first and important step towards generating customer referrals is keeping your existing customers happy and nurturing that relationship.
Make sure you meet your customer’s needs and they enjoy interacting with you. When your customers see the results they expect, they’ll spread the word and attach their name to your business.
When’s a good time to ask?
Once you know your customers recognise the value of your product and see you as a credible source, you can ask them to give you a referral or an online review.
A great way to entice your customers to recommend your product or service to their friends and family is offering an incentive.
Entice customers with incentives
You could offer a free gift or discount voucher for their next purchase in return for their recommendation. Ride hailing apps for example offer free rides or credits when customers invite a friend to use the app.
Whatever it is you’re offering, if someone is happy with your product and thinks their friends would like it, they’ll be more inclined to recommend your product online if you're offering a free gift.
Make it easy – use technology
The next step is to make it easy for your customers to review and recommend your product.
Use the power of technology on top of traditional face-to-face or phone conversation. Collect your client’s email address and send out a “thank you” email. In the process, ask for a recommendation. Alternatively, you can use third-party websites such as Yelp or Hungrygowhere that collects customer reviews.
You can also use online tools that help you to incorporate customer feedback or testimonials onto your website. That’s where new potential customers will be able to read reviews before they buy your product.
Address and deal with bad reviews early
Keep in mind though, not all reviews will be the way you expect. Some customers may give you a bad review. Unfortunately, we’re more likely to give feedback when we’re unhappy about something.
It’s important to stay cool and address negative feedback as early as possible. If you interact with unhappy customers and try to resolve their problem, they’ll likely change their mind.
Depending on the nature of their complaint you can respond privately or publicly to resolve the issue. You may start a private conversation then reply publicly. Your responsive feedback could actually boost your reputation.
While it’s good to address customer issues, some negative reviews aren't worth thinking about. If it’s an irrational opinion, you may be better off ignoring it.
Summary
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An easy way to get new business is through a referral from a happy customer.
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The first and important step towards generating customer referrals is keeping your existing customers happy and nurturing that relationship.
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When you know a customer is happy ask them to give you a referral or review.
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Entice customers with incentives
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Make it easy to write a review
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Address and deal with bad reviews early