How To Ask Customers For Feedback And Reviews

November 18, 2023

Chris Risse

A vital part in the success of a small business is receiving customer feedback. However, a challenge for most small businesses is the task of making the ask from customers for this information. Whether it is fear of negative feedback, lack of focus, or simply being overwhelmed, taking the time to ask customers for feedback and reviews needs to be a priority for our small business.

Having a plan for getting customer reviews can simplify the process, but in order to get to that point, you must first take the initial step of asking customers for feedback and reviews and become comfortable making the ask with each customer you interact with.

Let's take a closer look at the necessary task of asking for customer feedback and reviews:

Here is your permission to ask

A big hangup for many small business owners is the fear of disrupting or annoying their customers with a pestering ask for feedback or a review. You really need to get past this feeling in order to get started. If you need permission to begin, this is your permission.

Asking customers for feedback and reviews is a basic part of communication - you are making no demands or claims, but only asking a simple question and giving your customer the opportunity to respond. The customer has no requirement to respond or take any actions, if they do not wish to do so.

Now that I have made it clear that asking customers for feedback and reviews isn't something to cause you to worry, take that big step and start asking your customers for feedback and reviews.

Compose your message for asking

Having a well-crafted message for asking your customers for feedback and reviews can get you the results you seek. Your message does not need to be long or detailed, but should be short and concise.

Be Thankful

Always thank your customer for choosing your products and/or services. Without customers, you would not be in business, so be grateful.

Be Respectful & Brief

Everyone's time is value, so be forward and to the point with your message. Ask your customer to share their experience with your small business and give them direction on how to do it.

Ask customers for feedback and reviews

Just by asking for feedback or review substantially increases the likelihood of receiving a response. Simply sending a customer an email asking for a review of their experience OR sending a direct message through social media can play a vital role in obtaining customer feedback. Better yet, asking your customer in person, using a review card, results in the highest customer feedback response. Having a sales or support person thanking a customer for their business with a small ask for the customer's experience is a powerful way to get meaningful testimonials and online reviews for your business.

Once you get comfortable with the idea of asking your customers for feedback and reviews, you will need to find the best time and place to make the ask. There is a moment in your sales and support processes that is the ideal time for getting customer feedback, in almost all small businesses, but asking at the wrong time can have consequences.

Ways of asking for customer reviews

Send an email

The easiest and most reliable way to ask your customers for reviews via email. The email can contain your message, as well as a link to where you want your customer to leave feedback or a review.

Subject: We'd love to hear from you!

Dear [Customer's Name],

Thank you for choosing our [product/service]. We hope it has met your expectations and provided value to you. We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review and share your experience with others.

Your feedback is invaluable to us and helps us improve our offerings. It only takes a few minutes, and your review can make a big difference in helping others make informed decisions.

Please click [insert direct link to review platform] to leave a review. We genuinely appreciate your time and support.

Thank you again for choosing us!

Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Company]

Send a text message

Another popular way to ask for a customer review is to send a text message. If you have your customer's phone number, simply send a test message asking for the review and provide a link to where they can share their review.

Share On Social Media

A very easy way to ask for customer feedback and reviews is by posting a message on your social media profiles. Here, your followers have an opportunity to share their experiences.

Make a phone call

You can also call your customer to ask for a review. If the customer does not answer, you still have the change to leave a voice message. Having a .review domain can make it easy to tell your customer how to leave a review.

Give a review card

A review card can easily be handed to a customer or sent with an order. On the review card can be a .review domain or a QR code that leads to a customer review funnel.

Ask in person

Asking for a customer review in person can be a surefire way of getting a customer review. Make sure to have a customer review card handy to make it easy.

Send a letter

This is definitely the slowest way to ask for a customer review, but it can be the most impactful and convincing way to do it. Personalization of your message in the letter can be meaningful and compelling for the customer to leave a review.

Find the right method that suits your small business needs and stick with it. Try testing your asking process by using email, phone, and review cards as your communication type. Once you find the best method, stick with it to gain consistent online reviews, powerful testimonials, and insight into customers buying experiences.

When should I ask for a customer review?

Don't Ask Too Soon

Asking your customers too soon during the sale or support process can result in your customer feeling pressured and unresolved. Even worse, your business can come off pushy or desperate for the response. It is best to ask for feedback or an online review once the final payment has been received, the product has been delivered, or the issue has been resolved. The person to make the ask for the feedback or review should be from the person who has built the strongest relationship with the customer.

Don't Ask Too Late

Asking for feedback or a review too late can also result in a lower response rate. Asking weeks or months after the sales process will go ignored as enough time has passed and the customer is no longer motivated and has their attention elsewhere. Delay can be caused by your sales or support team members ignoring or skipping the ask, or by expecting the customer to naturally give feedback on their own accord. Either way, you can still attempt to warm the customer up again to ask for a review, but the chances of them following through are significantly lowered. When it comes to asking for customer feedback or reviews, better late than never.

The Right Moment To Ask

The best time to ask your customer for a review is at the completion of the transaction, when emotions are at their highest and the customer is motivated to share their experience. This can be when handing a customer their bag at checkout, after completing a service for a client, or when a customer acknowledges that work has been satisfactory.

If your customer is bringing their positive experience to your attention, this is the perfect opportunity to ask them to leave a review.

Be persistent when asking for a customer review

Even when you ask nicely for a customer review, your customers may still avoid giving feedback altogether. You should still be persistent and ask again if you do not receive a response. Don't wait too long after your initial ask, before asking again. If you don't receive the response after the second ask, move on. If you have another sale with the customer again in the future, you can try getting feedback then.

When you know when and how to ask for a customer review as a process, you can fit that process into the system of your business. A simple process for asking for the review, follow up, giving the customer a clear path and instructions, and thanking the customer for the review should be the major tasks in your customer review process, also known as a customer review funnel.

Be specific with what you are asking for

To get a well crafted response from your customer, you may need to provide some direction on what you want your customer to do. In your message for asking for a customer review, you can share examples of previous customer reviews. This can help your customer understand what a helpful customer review looks like.

If there is a certain type of feedback you are looking for, such as a review or a testimonial, be specific when asking your customer for one.

Example: If you want more reviews on Google, ask your customer for feedback in the form of an online review on your Google profile. When your customer is presented with options to provide feedback, they will recall Google and choose it for the review.

Leaving a customer to choose their way through a customer review funnel or customer satisfaction survey can end up with undesired results, such as an unusable testimonial or a star-rating without a message.

Helpful Resources For Customer Reviews

About The Author

Chris Risse

Chris is the owner of Mediaryte, a digital commerce company working with local small businesses. He has worked with countless business owners on business mastery, systematizing processes, and quantifying results. Chris also is a competitive fat bike racer and has a fantastic sixth sense for detecting well hidden candy and treats.

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