In many situations, small businesses focus on being reactive. That is, they spend a great deal of time focusing on that one negative review they received. There is no doubt that a negative comment from a customer is going to sting. And, it does take a lot of good reviews to make up for one negative one. However, there is a lot to focus on when it comes to positive reviews. In fact, some estimates indicate that 75 percent of all reviews left online for a company are positive. They may have little tidbits of “this is what you could do better,” but they are still, by and large, positive.
How to Take Advantage of Positive Online Reviews
Let’s say you find that your company has a number of positive online reviews. When it comes down to it, you are proud of those good notes that customers make, especially when you have not asked clients for them. But, look further. What do you see? You should see opportunities to boost your marketing reach and to bring in new customers. Consider a few key tips.
Use Them as Testimonials
Use those testimonials for what they are. They are a way for you to tell customers that your business does great things. Use them on your website or your blog so that when customers visit your site to consider doing business with you, they can instantly see that others have had good success. This is a huge plus for potential customers.
Use Them in Your Social Media
If you use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms (which you should do whenever possible) then you will want to use your reviews there, too. A simple message like, “Check out what a customer just said about our company” is going to get clicks. When you use the reviews in this way, you are not only helping to market your business, but you are working to build your brand. This will help you for years to come.
It is easy to see negative customer reviews as a reason to react, but there is much more to the process than this. It is nearly always a good idea to focus on the positive just as well, if not more so, than you do the negative. See positive customer reviews as a way to strengthen your reputation and to give your potential clients a real reason to decide to work with you.