Article An Easy, Elegant And Effective Tool For Getting Online Reviews

Katie Hendrick

Contributing Author
Jan 19, 2014
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As children, many of us received the message that it’s unimportant what others think of you. As business owners, this advice couldn’t be more detrimental.

What customers think and say matters – especially online.

Want better search engine results? Better have some online endorsements.

“Truly effective local visibility isn’t something you can do as a lone ranger,” says search engine optimization expert Phil Rozek. “You need your customers to be so kind as to write reviews for you.”

And then there’s no denying reviews’ power of persuasion.

According to Nielsen, 92 percent of people make purchasing decisions based on word of mouth recommendations. Hubspot found that 71 percent of people are more likely to buy something if they’ve read positive reviews.

“No type of marketing has that type of conversion,” said Florist 2.0.com founder Ryan Freeman during a webinar Wednesday, April 16, sharing how to get more reviews – which should be on every florist’s to-do list, as only 4.7 percent of customers in North America generate reviews.

There are plenty of reasons for that dismal figure, Freeman said. To name a few: it’s awkward to ask in person, so many do not; customers have to remember to do it later, and most don’t; and there’s not much of an incentive to invest the time.

Fortunately, there’s an “easy, elegant” solution to all of the above, Freeman said. It’s a platform called Modern Comment. Freeman uses it as his family’s shop (Martin’s Flowers in Toronto) with much satisfaction.

Here’s a basic rundown how it works:

· You invite customers to complete a survey in order to be entered into a drawing. Freeman suggests sending a link in a delivery confirmation email to the sender and printing the URL on a card with the arrangement.

Why is this valuable? It’s an immediate call to action that includes an incentive and is easy to complete.

· Customers complete a review you have customized (fear not, luddites! Modern Comment includes step-by-step instructions) with guided questions that trigger specific follow-ups according to the customer’s responses.

Why is this valuable? It generates reviews with rich content and crucial keywords, which Google loves.

· For a chance to earn extra entries in the drawing, the customer has the option of sharing the review on social media sites.

Why is this valuable? The more brand mentions, the more Google rewards you.

· The survey results go into an easy-to-read dashboard that includes analytics.

Why is this valuable? You get tools to improve your business.

Modern Comment works independently of your website. Its landing page includes no advertisements. And it links to your shop’s Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest accounts. “It’s really all about you, which is fantastic,” Freeman said.

If you missed the webinar, or want to go back and learn more about Modern Comment (and the deal for Florist 2.0 subscribers), click here.
 
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