How to Collect Customer Reviews and Boost Sales With Them

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I love to shop.

But there’s nothing special about that. There are millions of people in Nigeria who will tell you the same thing. So naturally, you tend to find yourself in conversations where people are talking about where they’ve bought this or that, or what businesses are best to shop from online.

In one of such conversations with a group of friends, I realised something. Some people won’t shop from you if you don’t have a business website, if your business address isn’t clearly stated, or if you’ve put a big ‘NO REFUNDS’ somewhere on your page (these are all mighty red flags). And most importantly, some people won’t shop from you if they don’t see reviews from other customers.

Therefore it is not enough to have great products anymore. You need to have reviews and not just that, but also put them up for the whole world to see.

In this article, we will cover the importance of customer reviews, how to collect them from your customers and lastly, how you can boost your sales with them.

Related: 9 Different Types of Nigerian Customers & How to Deal with Them!

The Power and Importance of Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are now the lifeblood of businesses, especially since most people shop online and depend on these reviews for their purchasing decisions. The influence of customer feedback cannot be overstated, as it serves as a powerful tool for your brand.

Why should you collect customer reviews?

1. Customer reviews act as word-of-mouth recommendations, helping to build trust with potential customers.

2. Positive reviews increase the credibility of your business and its products or services.

3. Products with positive reviews are more likely to convert potential customers into buyers.

4. Reviews provide valuable feedback that helps you improve your products or services.

5. Customer reviews can boost search engine optimization by providing fresh, user-generated content.

6. Seeing others' positive experiences can sway indecisive customers to make a purchase.

7. Good reviews set businesses apart from competitors and showcase their strengths.

8. Responding to reviews can help your business build a loyal customer community.

9. Positive reviews can create FOMO! Customers can see them and think ‘I want that’ and immediately make a purchase.

Related: These Common Business Mistakes May Lead to Permanently Losing Customers!

Best Practices for Collecting Customer Reviews

The next part of this article answers this crucial question: “How do I get customers to give me a review?”

As a business owner, you may struggle with this because of a couple of reasons. It could be that your customers are too much in a hurry, or really just stubborn (we know Nigerians!) or it could also be that you’ve not made the process easy for them. So, here are some effective ways you can use to convince a customer to leave you a glowing review.

1. Provide Exceptional Service: When customers have a great experience, they are more inclined to share their feedback.

2. Make It Easy: Simplify the review process by providing direct links or clear instructions on where and how to leave a review.

3. Incentivise: Offer a small discount, a chance to enter a giveaway, or exclusive access to content in exchange for a review.

4. Personalisation: Reach out with a personalised request. Acknowledge their previous purchase or interaction to show that their opinion matters.

5. Timing is Key: Ask for reviews at the right moment, such as post-purchase when the experience is still fresh in their minds.

6. Ask politely: This goes without saying, but it is also important to always keep it at the back of your mind. Be polite and friendly when asking a customer for a review.

You’ll love this: 10 Easy Tips on Improving Customer Service for Your Small Business

How to Collect Customer Reviews in 2024

Now that you know the best practices for collecting reviews, let’s dig into the ways you can gather positive reviews for your business.

1. Include them in your newsletters: You can segment customers who have made a purchase from you in the past, and send them a special newsletter asking them to leave a review on the product they purchased or send you a review of your brand. On the Bumpa app, you can easily create customer groups and send them an email or SMS asking for a review.

2. Direct them to your website: This works perfectly after a customer has completed a purchase. You can ask them to leave a review on the product that they just bought.

3. Collect reviews on social media: Some customers will buy from you via your social media pages. In the DM, you can simply ask them what they think about the order they got!

4. Send them a text asking for a review: You can occasionally send text messages to customers who have bought from you before, asking them to leave you a review.

5. Add a note to the package: This works perfectly! You can add a simple note to the package telling them you hope they love their order and asking them to leave you a review on your website or social media.

6. Give them an incentive: You can motivate them to leave you a review by giving them a reason to. It could be something like promising them a discount on their next purchase if they leave you a review.

Collecting Reviews on Your Bumpa Website

Collecting reviews on your Bumpa website is like gathering infinity stones; it’s a huge step in convincing your customers to buy an item. On the Bumpa website, a customer can leave you a review after completing their purchase. And it’s also very simple. They just need to:

1. Go to the purchased product.

2. At the right side of the page, click on reviews under the ‘Add to cart’ button.

3. Click on the ‘Leave a review’ button. And that’s it!

And it looks just like the image above, making sure your customers can find a lot of reviews on a product when they’re about to buy. It could be the final thing that convinces a customer to make a purchase, so make sure to encourage your customers to do this!

How to Use Reviews to Boost Sales

Through this article, it’s been mentioned quite a lot how important collecting reviews is, and how they can affect a potential customer’s final decision. So how then can you use these reviews to not just boost brand trust but also to boost sales?

There are multiple ways you can do this, and I’ll list them below.

1. Use them to run ads: Incorporate snippets of positive reviews in your advertising campaigns to attract attention and build credibility.

2. Include them in your emails: Feature customer testimonials in your email campaigns to encourage conversions.

3. Create video testimonials with them: Turn positive reviews into video testimonials for a more engaging way to showcase customer satisfaction.

4. Share them on social media: Share customer reviews on your social media platforms to reach a wider audience and engage with your followers! You can also pin them in places customers can easily find e.g.; A highlight on Instagram or a pinned tweet on X (Twitter).

5. Respond to the ones you can: Show your commitment to customer satisfaction by responding to both positive and negative reviews thoughtfully.

6. Feature them on your website: Showcase positive reviews prominently on your website to build trust with potential customers.

Related: 10 Ways to Get More Customers & Increase Sales for Your Business

Conclusion

Collecting customer reviews is not just about gathering feedback—it's a strategic tool to boost sales and improve your business's reputation. By implementing the practices discussed above, you can encourage customers to leave valuable reviews. These reviews can then be used to build trust, attract new customers, and drive sales through various channels like website features, advertising, and social media. Remember, the insights gained from reviews can also help you improve your products or services, ultimately leading to a stronger relationship with your customers and a thriving business.

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