Customer reviews are extremely important. Not only can they help increase your Google+ Local rankings, but they also provide social proof for your business that helps you make more sales.
But getting reviews isn’t always easy. You can’t get too aggressive in getting them so offering incentives isn’t going to work – not if you want to stay within Google’s guidelines. You can’t pay for reviews either, and you can’t ambush your customers with a computer or an iPad on their way out your door.
This email from Luther Brookdale Honda in Brooklyn Center, MN, however, provides an excellent example of how to go about getting customer reviews online the right way.
Hi Travis,
It was my pleasure to work with you at your last service visit. My goal was to make you extremely satisfied with the service that I provided you. Please contact me if you feel that I did not meet this goal or if there is a way that I can improve your next service visit.
I am eager to hear your feedback on your recent visit. Therefore, I would like to ask you to take a moment to post a review. Please choose one of the links below and it will take you directly to the page which takes approximately 5 minutes to complete the review.
I understand that your time is very valuable; however, it is important to me and Luther Brookdale Honda that you provide feedback that others can see. Our commitment to customer satisfaction is higher than ever. That’s why we are dedicated to making your service experience as satisfying as possible.
Thank you for your business and I look forward to seeing you next time.Regards,
Luther Brookdale Honda
Now, let’s talk about exactly why this email works so well so you can adopt this simple strategy for your own business.
First, there’s the part you can’t see on this email. It was sent to me the day after I had my service completed. This means the visit was still fresh in my mind the day I got the email.
Second, the first paragraph of the email helps prevent customers from leaving bad reviews online by inviting the customer to call the dealership directly if their needs were not met. This is a subtle but very important paragraph in the email. Without it, the dealership would be inviting its customers to leave feedback on review sites whether they were happy or not. You don’t want unhappy customers leaving negative reviews online!
Luther Brookdale Honda also offers a reason for the customer to leave a review that actually matters to the customer. The dealership claims they will use the feedback to improve their service, which in theory will directly impact me as a customer the next time I go in for service. The dealership appeals directly to the customer’s sense of “what’s in it for me.”
Third, the email doesn’t make customers guess how or where to send the review. Luther Brookdale Honda makes it easy by providing hyperlinks directly to their preferred review sites.
Fourth, the email stresses respect for the customer’s time. It not only says, “I know your time is valuable” but also points out that it takes less than 5 minutes for the customer to leave the feedback.
The beauty of this email is that it will take you less than five minutes to create this kind of a follow-up program for your own business. It’s ethical, it’s easy, and it gets results, too.