I am frequently asked, “Should I use incentives to get customer reviews. Some experts reject incentives; others experts embrace incentives. In this post, I will share my answers on using incentives to get online customer reviews. Let me start with a short story that illustrates the complexity of the question.
A Story on Customer Incentives
In my carpet business, we decided to test out an incentive program for customer referrals. If a customer sent us a referral, they would receive a new area rug for their home. As part of the test, we called several of our best customers to get their input.
I called Barb who had bought carpet from me several times over the previous years. Here is what she said. “I think it’s a nice idea and I understand why you want to do it. However, it doesn’t inspire me to send referrals to your business. I send them because I love your products and services. I am happy to help others find a similar experience. And besides, I just finished carpeting my entire house. I don’t really need an area rug!”
My story illustrates the challenges with incentives and customer reviews.
Challenges with Incentives and Customer Reviews
- Which customers need incentives?
- What motivates customers to help?
- The timing of incentives
- Providing incentives meaningful to customers
Let’s consider both sides of the question.
Those Who Reject Incentives with Online Customer Reviews
The negative side would say incentives come across as “buying” a customer review? Do good work as a business and the customers will freely respond to your online customer review process. In surveys, 70% of the people said they did online customer reviews because they hoped to help other people with their buying decisions. Incentives are not necessary. “Helping others is the only incentive needed!”
Those Who Support Incentives with Online Customer Reviews
Coupon World. We live in an incentive world! The world is now being shaped by “Groupon”. Everyone is looking for a deal. Businesses are always offering sales or incentives as part of their business process. Why should online customer reviews be any different?
Rewards. An incentive for doing a customer review can be seen as a reward for the extra work involved in doing the online customer review.
Customer Loyalty. A customer who does a customer review gives you more than a review. The process of making a review can turn them into a champion for your business. You reward loyal customers with appreciation in other parts of your business, why not reward them for providing a customer review?
Different Groups of Customers. Every business has different levels of customers. Some customers totally love your business and will do most anything for it. Other customers are on the fringe. For them an incentive may motivate them. Every business has different levels of customers and yet they are all customers.
Break the Direct Link Between Customer Reviews and Your Incentives
If the customer or the public online sees your incentive as a direct payoff for completing a customer review, negative consequences can follow. Break the link so that it is not seen as a “tit for tat” transaction between you and the customer. You give me a review, I give you XYZ. Here are four alternatives you can use.
Four Alternative Incentives for Getting Online Customer Reviews
- You can use coupons or discounts on future purchases. Many businesses use incentives to reward loyal customers. By using a future discount for getting customer reviews, you are getting the reviews and getting loyal customers back into your business. Double value!
- You can provide an “appreciation” gift card. In our carpet store when we were late for an appointment or failed to meet one of our promises, we offered a $15.00 Baker’s Square coupon. Baker’s Square has the best pies in the world. We were not trying to “buy” off the customer by giving them equal value for our mistakes. (You can never win this game). Customers appreciated our effort without trying to provide direct compensate them for our mistakes. The same can be said for customer reviews.
- Contests or drawings work well. You can have a monthly drawing with a prize going to one of the customers that enter a customer review for that month. Because its only one prize, it can be more valuable. Customers now compete rather than being bought off for their customer review.
- Donating to a cause can be another incentive. There may be a popular local non-profit, a school project, a well publicize family in need. For every customer review you receive, you donate a certain amount of money to the cause. Using this incentive, people are not only helping you with the customer review, they also know they are helping others with their efforts. This is a feel good incentive.
Conclusion on Using Incentives to Get Customer Reviews
In a perfect world, customers would be so excite about your business that online customer reviews would come naturally. Most small businesses do not live in a perfect world. Given the importance of online customer reviews for moving your business to the top of the local search Map, use any of the suggested incentives listed in the above paragraphs. Modify or shape them to fit your own business situation. Bottom line, use whatever tools work in your business situation to get customer reviews. They are critical to your online reputation and position on the local search Map.
Credit for the chain link image. http://th18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/gjc41/Excursions/th_links-in-a-chain.jpg
I invite you to share your questions and comments on using incentives for getting online customer reviews in the Reply Section below. Thank you.
Do you own a retail business that relies heavily on holiday shopping to make or break your year? Thanks to Jeff Adelson-Yan, here are five local search holiday tips you can use this bring that extra local holiday traffic. Enjoy and prosper.
