Want more 5-star reviews? You only have to do 3 things…

1. It starts with intention – be intentional about it. Be review-worthy by providing a great experience and make reviews a priority.

2. Be sincere – share the importance and don’t be afraid to ask for reviews when engaging with customers.

3. Hit the easy button – make it easy for your customers to provide those reviews. And don’t spread out the love. Lopside your efforts on your most important platform.

CASE IN POINT:

Last week I delivered a couple of books to my client O2 Fitness. I visited the University Drive club in Durham and had an opportunity to catch up with GM Katherine Smith. The 30,000 square foot club has 856 Google reviews. The majority of those reviews came in the last year… during a global pandemic.

I asked Katherine about the outsized number of five-star reviews. Very quickly I learned this wasn’t by chance. Katherine and the team are super-intentional about Google reviews. They know the importance. Here are three reasons why they rock according to TRG Marketing:

1. Google Reviews are a big credibility boost to your business and you don’t need to spend a dime.

2. Google Reviews increase your online exposure and help with SEO, especially local SEO.

3. Google Reviews are a good way to better understand what you are doing right and/or wrong as a business.

Katherine shared that they aren’t afraid to ask for reviews. She and other team members will often receive positive feedback from members. In addition to acknowledging and being thankful for attaboy or attagirl, they take a moment to mention Google Reviews. And here is the key. They mention how important the reviews are.

Lastly, O2 Fitness University Drive makes it easy for members to leave the review. Once a member agrees, the staff will give them a business card with instructions on how to leave the review. That card makes it easy and serves as a reminder of the commitment.

EATING MY OWN DOG FOOD

Two or three times a year I will reach out to my most recent clients. As a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, I know my reviews on eSpeakers are important. eSpeakers powers the National Speakers Association directory and it contains over 13,000 speakers, trainers, entertainers, authors, and consultants.

Speaking is a word of mouth business. But if people are finding you on a directory, reviews are a differentiator. I have 152 verified reviews on eSpeakers. I believe that’s the most of any speaker on the platform.

How do I do it?

1. I’m intentional about it, 2. I’m not afraid to ask, and 3. I make it easy for my clients to provide a review.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.

Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.