The Magic of Growing Your Sales
The quest for more sales in fast order is common among every business in every industry. Everyone is looking for that magic trick that will deliver sales results.
We have exciting news for you, there is a “magic” trick. Fortunately, you do not need to invest in a new tool or spend your hard-earned revenue on another empty promise. 5-Star Google Reviews are the solution.
Trusted Opinions
Online reviews are public opinions of your product or service written by customers – proof that you are a good business. They are very influential in a buyer’s purchase decision. Why? Because the review isn’t you, the business, telling them why you’re great. The opinion is coming from a complete stranger who would have no reason to lie about you. Additionally, the buyer wasn’t “fed” a crafted, potentially edited, review via a testimonial on your website – they found it organically online.
These reviews have the power to increase your sales or steer clients in totally a different direction. 5-star reviews are a game-changer for any business.
Improved Search Results
Building trust with your online audience is critical for creating a strong foundation for your business. Google 5-star reviews, reviews on Yelp, Amazon, Reddit, and more build trust for your brand, and help boost your site to the top when someone searches for the best places to eat, highest rated item to purchase, resort reviews, etc.
Reviews will drive traffic to your website. Using them optimally helps to narrow the competition, leaving the client with fewer distractions while looking online. Shoppers want to know the truth, they need the facts, and online reviews help them find it.
Online reviews are one of the easiest and fastest ways to grow your sales, and they’re free! Ask happy clients to leave a google review! Positive 5-star reviews encourage traffic, trial, and sales.
First Impressions Make Lasting Ones
People form an impression of your brand in mere seconds. An online review can be a new customer's first introduction to your product or service. The key to hooking your audience lies in those first pivotal moments. Something happens in our brain when we first experience something. It's called the primacy effect. We remember what happens first. Therefore, the first impression almost always makes a lasting one. Humans retain information in sequential order. Having a positive first review can set your company up for lasting success. The more 5-star reviews you have, the better your odds are at ranking higher with buyer opinions.
Drive Traffic = Drive Sales
Online reviews are critically important in SEO results, whether you’re a local business or e-commerce. Everyone knows the best way to boost your online sales and consumer traffic is to be ranked at the top on Google and Bing. Five-star reviews help you do that – as much as a well-optimized website. In fact, with mobile-first indexing, your Google My Business profile highlighting your Google reviews will appear BEFORE any website in most cases. Google wants to help with whatever buyers are searching for, by listing reviews, they provide decision making power on the spot. Before the buyer has even seen your product, website, or competition.
Google is Always Watching
Growing rankings on the internet is not a one-and-done job you can check off your list and file away. Google constantly reads and crawls your site, and they’re continually collecting and displaying your reviews. Your content needs to be new and fresh. Your reviews need to be too. If a potential client sees you had 50 reviews last June but not a peep since then – they may feel you have failed in service since then or got new poor management, or worse yet, have gone out of business. Make sure you are continually soliciting and collecting reviews from your clients.
Negativity
Many businesses are afraid of online reviews for the inevitable “bad review.” Our strongest piece of advice: don’t run from bad reviews. Your reputation will precede you. You cannot hide from bad service or products.
Bury your bad reviews with great ones, and use your bad reviews to show your excellent service levels. Respond to every review, good and bad, in a timely fashion. A simple “Thank you” helps shoppers see you are attentive and appreciative. When responding to a bad review, don’t make excuses or belittle or shame the reviewer, no matter how wrong their opinion may be. Your other potential customers are judging you. Apologize sincerely, and invite the reviewer to contact you via phone or email. Don’t give other shoppers a reason to believe the bad reviewer.
Additionally, bad reviews can help you see where there is room for growth, needed changes, or weak areas you may not have noticed. Transparency is a necessity for increasing sales and reducing profit loss.
Invite Conversations
A helpful way to promote consumer interaction is by having an area on your website for customers to comment and leave a 5-star review. Given the opportunity, patrons may be more compelled to take the time to give feedback. By showing your business has an open line of communication with clients, your prospective customers will feel more confident about your company.
There is an excellent review display tool we like to incorporate on our websites at GROW – ElfSight.com. This tool will display all of your online reviews from multiple sources and provide a spot for new reviewers. They have entry level free packages; and can accommodate the largest of businesses with unlimited plans.
You can also request reviews in person or via email, buyers are more willing than you think to give you an honest review. Don’t be afraid to print a review request on your receipts, or to offer something for a review (a product, a discount, a status level, etc.)
Shopping online can be difficult. Buyers are swarmed with information and ads. Be warm, friendly, and helpful. Buyers will appreciate it!
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About the Author:
Katheryn Hunt is a sales-‘growing’ enthusiast. As the CEO of GROW, she partners with small to medium businesses in the United States to develop and deploy sales and marketing strategies that generate revenue. Katheryn has a diverse business-building background; and has surrounded herself with an elite marketing team who specialize in “Growing” business start-ups, healthcare and long-term care companies, capital equipment manufacturers, retailers, and service-based industries; through value-based selling and compelling marketing stories.
GROW is a St. Louis-based Sales and Marketing Agency specializing in Website, Digital Marketing, & Business growth solutions. We help companies increase their revenue by creating the pathways that lead customers to the heart of their business. Individually tailored and guaranteed to deliver results, our growth strategies save clients time and money while increasing their market share.
