The Low Down:

An Inc Magazine study recently found that 80% of consumers have changed their minds about a purchased based upon a review.  Another study in 2011 found that 85% of people surveyed would be more likely to buy if they could find reviews for that product online. 

Yes, reviews matter.  The credibility factor alone makes them matter. We could easily spend money on advertising, but this isn’t enough.  An advertisement touting how great we are is one thing.  But there’s an old saying that what others say about you is more important than what you can say about yourself.   This is powerful stuff.  And it’s trusted.

Having no reviews is a big deal. Do you use Amazon?

Ask yourself what would you think if you went to look at a product and didn’t’ see a single review?

Red flag no doubt! Studies even suggest a poor review is better than no review. Of course in another tip we will dive into how to get positive reviews and handle any less than stellar ones.

Our Secret Sauce:

We don’t sit idly by waiting for a great review.  We ask for them.  Why hope for a good review when you can actually ask people directly for them.  And it works.  We have been in business for 2.5 years… and we already have 375+ 5 star reviews!  We work hard for them and they pay off in spades. The number of people who say to us (or some version of) during our consult “I came here vs an office than was much closer to me because of your reviews” astounds us.

But it get’s better.  Our happy clients lead to more happy clients.  When our clients post positive reviews, not only does it lead to more business from anonymous readers, but we have found they are also more likely to refer their friends!  And we love referrals.  In fact, this group of people represent our second highest paying customer segment (after our repeat customers)!

Illustration:

Here’s how we do it.  We ask for reviews in two ways and at two different times.

1. In Person, after a session is over.
2. Email, after a session is over.
3. In Person, after their follow-up (after they see their results)
4. Email, after their follow-up. 

Action:

• Ask each person, each time for their review.  Simply hoping they submit a review isn’t enough.  Ask!!  Most people don’t think like a business owner so they are not leaving yoru office saying wow I should really write a good review because I love them and it will help them get more business.
• Create an email template for their post visit and their post follow-up visit asking for their review and also attaching links to review sites
• Always be ready for possible negative reviews (although few and far between).  Remember to ALWAYS answer these reviews.  Preferably taking it offline.  We’ll have a future tip on this subject!  J

There is a software we like to use at Bodify. You don’t have to use this one, but we’ve found it helpful

It’s called Magic review. You simply have the client answer two questions from an iPad at the office. If they give you 4 or 5 stars, three hours later it will send them an email and ask for a full review.

This is fantastic. If the review is less than 4 stars, someone in your office will be notified so you can handle it immediately and look for a speedy resolution.