Why Having Good Reviews Are Not Enough (For Your Marketing Strategy)

Are good reviews the end-all-be-all for an effective marketing strategy? What more can you do to improve your business’ brand?

Online reviews amount to a considerable deal in one’s business. BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey for 2020 found that 87% of consumers make it a point to check local businesses’ online reviews. This shows that customers value the feedback of other consumers before purchasing items or availing of services. Garnering good reviews, of course, is the common main goal in any business as well. In the same survey from BrightLocal, 82% of consumers said that positive reviews make them more likely to engage in a company. Along with this, people now tend to treat reviews they read online with the same level of trust from getting recommendations from friends and family.

Without a doubt, the impact good reviews can make on your business alone is in itself massive. However, while it is intuitive to believe that all we need are good reviews, this is impossible to achieve in reality. Customers have their unique standards, and some are just impossible to please — which is entirely okay and normal. There are some other factors to consider in improving your business’ brand.

Welcome the bad reviews

Let’s be real; no one likes seeing bad reviews on their business! But negative reviews are a part of it and are likely to be encountered by every enterprise out there. It can be due to various factors such as a bad day for the customer service team or just a mismatch with the standards of your customer.

While it may be an eyesore and something you would simply want to be deleted right away, some benefits can stem from this.

Expectation setting

From a customer’s perspective, seeing negative reviews can set expectations for the product or service they consider, mostly those extremely detailed reviews. It allows a consumer to evaluate what they look for in a business they’re about to transact with.

On the other hand, from a business owner’s side, this can be an avenue to reevaluate the quality of service or product that you bring to the table. Good reviews can validate you, but it’s with the bad reviews where you can learn more about how to serve your customers better.

Bad reviews show authenticity

Bad reviews can show authenticity, especially those extremely detailed reviews. Reading purely positive feedback can likely raise an eyebrow for some consumers. It can make your business seem fake or too manufactured if it only boasts positive reviews.

In addition, it may imply that you don’t have enough customers to authenticate the quality of your business or that you’re hiding the negative aspects of your business.

An opportunity to showcase customer service

What may seem like a setback can be an opportunity. Negative reviews create an opportunity for your company to showcase your customer service. Statistics show that customers are likely to stop interacting with businesses due to bad customer service. It is essential to have a mindset shift on the implication of seeing a review from an unsatisfied customer. The survey from BrightLocal shows that 70% of consumers are likely to use a business that engages with negative reviews. Use this as an avenue to address your customer’s concerns and get back to them as quickly as possible.

Turn negative reviews into positive ones

Creating an environment that allows your customer to be heard and doing something about their concern can surprisingly build their trust. In an article by Harvard Business Review, research suggests that customer service showing empathy can transform angry and agitated customers into loyal ones.

Create a personal connection with your customers

Aside from valuing customer reviews, another aspect of improving your marketing strategy is going the extra mile of building a personal connection with customers. Why is this so? While reviews can give a glimpse of what to expect from the product or service, it is also vital to stay in touch with your customers to keep them updated on what you have to offer.

In a paper by Harvard Business Review, they mentioned that:

“creating relevant customer experiences means reaching individuals at the right moment, with the right product, and on the right platform while staying sensitive to changing circumstances.”

By maintaining engagement with customers, the likelihood of keeping their loyalty increases.

Make responses personal

As with creating reviews, every interaction with customers is highly encouraged to be kept personally. Make it a habit to address a client’s name in sending emails or responding to inquiries. As Dale Carnegie states, “A person’s name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language.”

Also, express your gratitude in an authentic way. Keep your “thank yous” personal and go the extra mile by sending out gift cards!

Reach out through different means

For your customers to know what new services you have to offer, keep them in the loop of the happenings in your business through various platforms. An example would include reaching out through text messages and email. Another means to stay connected with them is by encouraging them to communicate with you through social media. Let them know about the discounts and deals your business has. Make your online presence as active and as engaging as possible.

A Final Word

At the end of the day, making your business known boils down to your ability to build your customer’s trust. Having the right mix of valuing online client reviews and taking the extra mile of following up on your customers can massively help in improving your business.