How to Ask for Reviews?

The competition is getting fierce these days, and tons of brands deal with similar categories of products. Therefore, looking for different ways to grow your business becomes necessary. In this era of recommendations and influencer marketing, reviews are playing a vital role in brand success. Reviews open a world of new possibilities and opportunities for brands. However, knowing how to ask for reviews takes some proper methods and if done effectively, it can further get you more responses and feedback.

Reviews can help in establishing credibility and aid customers in making informed decisions. Research reveals that 54% of individuals read online reviews every time they make a purchase. It makes sense to ask your customers or clients to leave a review and share their valuable feedback. Here, we will talk about how you can ask your genuine followers and loyal customers to share their reviews regarding your products and/or services.

How to Ask Customers for Reviews?

There are a variety of ways you can ask your customers for reviews:  

• In-person
• Over the phone (via call or text) 
• Via email
• Via social media
• Through website
• On receipts
• Via a Thank you page

1. How to Ask for Reviews in Person? 

Asking for a review in person can be challenging, however, it is an effective approach. Here are some of the ways you can do it:

Try to Initiate a Conversation

You cannot sit and wait until a customer approaches you. Go ahead and ask them how satisfied they are with your services. Consider asking the following questions: 

1. We hope that you have found everything you were looking for. Let us know anything you did not like so that we can improve further.
2. Did you find everything you were looking for?
3. Let us know if there is anything else you would like. We would be happy to serve you.
4. We are glad that you liked our services. Do share your experience online and tag us.  It would mean a lot to us. Thank you  

Take the Right Opportunity

If the customer praises you, take that opportunity and ask them to share their reviews. You can ask them to share their experience online or tag you on their social media. Tell them how their words encourage you and push you to do better.

Tip: While reviews are essential and can help you get more customers, you should never try to force a conversation. Let it go with the flow and be polite while communicating. Try to read the customer’s review and see if they would be willing to communicate further.

Read Also: Positive Habits: 7 Daily Habits for Business Growth

2. How to Ask for Reviews over the Phone?  

If your customer staff is communicating with the clients over the call, they get plenty of opportunities to ask for their feedback. It is necessary to understand who you are asking, though. You cannot ask a frustrated customer who has been waiting to get the problem resolved for a long time to write a review. Be polite and make it very neutral.  

You can say something like this, “We are glad that we were able to help you today. Thank you for your time and for trusting us. If you are satisfied with our services, please share your experience with us. Your feedback means a lot to us and will help us serve you better.” Text communication is another effective way to communicate with customers and ask them to share feedback. 

Here are some of the templates you can refer to:  

• We would like to thank you for trusting us.  If you have some time, we would love to hear from you to get a Google review or Facebook feedback.  Click here to proceed.
• Thanks for visiting ABC company.  We hope you are satisfied with our services.  Click here to share your valuable feedback.

3. How to Ask for Reviews via Email?

Email marketing is another practical approach to asking your clients for reviews and feedback. Draft a short and compelling email, asking your customers to spare some time and give their input. 

Email Template

Hi (Customer Name),

Thank you for your recent purchase. We hope you loved it and that we could meet your expectations.  Please take some time and click on the link below to share your valuable feedback. It will help us improve our services, and your feedback could help numerous others.

Thank you in advance!

4. Asking for Reviews Post-Purchase

You can even consider asking for a review immediately after the purchase. Try to maintain a short gap and give the customer some time to experience the product before sharing the review. Here are some of the effective strategies you could use:

• Send a Thank you card to the customers.  
• Send a purchase confirmation email and ask them to share their experiences.

5. Create a Leave us Review Page on the website

A dedicated review or testimonial page on the website could be an effective strategy to help you ask for reviews. Consider adding existing reviews and sharing customer stories. If you are in the B2B industry, you must consider asking the vendors to share their experiences.

6. Asking for Reviews on Social Media

• Always add a link along with the message.
• Redirect users to social media handles and ask them for reviews.
• Create posts out of the existing reviews and testimonials.

Read Also: Why is Personal Branding Essential for Entrepreneurs?

How to not Ask for Reviews?

Here are certain things that you must keep in mind and avoid doing while asking for reviews: 

• Do not consider giving any rewards, gifts, or discounts in exchange for reviews.
• Avoid buying reviews as it could harm your reputation. 
• Do not tell them what to say. Let the review be honest.
• Avoid giving them instructions. Instead, be polite and ask them to share reviews if they have time.
• Do not forget to respond to the reviews. Whether it is a positive or a negative review, acknowledge it.

Final Thoughts 

Reviews are an effective strategy to grow your business. It could empower other customers to make the purchase decision, but you should be very careful while asking for reviews. Be genuine and do not force the conversation.  Use the tips mentioned above and templates to ask for reviews. Make it short and crisp, and do not be afraid to ask for reviews. Be confident in your approach. You may also take help from a communication expert to draft the right message and ask for reviews from your customers and clients.