If you’ve ever looked at a product on Amazon from a major company, you might have noticed that there are hundreds of reviews. When you look at products for lesser known companies, there may not even be one. It’s not necessarily because people aren’t buying it. The difference is often because major companies have the staff and budget to solicit positive reviews for their products. They don’t ignore the influence that reviews have, and you shouldn’t either as a small business owner.
Tips for Getting Positive Reviews
Even though it’s common practice, it’s not ethical to pay for positive reviews. Consumers aren’t stupid, and many quickly catch on to the fact that the reviews they’re reading about were paid for by the company. As an act of rebellion, they may just post a negative review with the hopes that it will rise to the top. They may just read the critical reviews only, if the positive reviews appear to be bought and paid for. Instead of hiring random freelance writers to write positive reviews for your products, try a more honest approach:
- Deliver products on time, and include a note in the packaging asking customers to post a review
- Don’t exaggerate the product description on your website or on other retail websites
- Offer a profitable but fair price, because an overpriced product will be heavily scrutinized and one mistake can result in many negative reviews
- Email your list asking for customers to review products and thank them again for their purchase
- Resolve any disputes raised in a negative review, and ask the customer to explain that it’s been resolved or post your review explaining the resolution
Soliciting and tracking reviews takes work, but you should include it in your marketing time. You cannot afford to ignore them.
