A positive online reputation is an excellent asset for your small business. Nowadays, before customers engage your services or buy your products, the first of all search online to find out more about your business. Research has it that most online buyers trust Google results. Meaning if your online reputation is good, customers are more likely to trust your business hence you need to manage your online reviews. We share with you some excellent review management tips for your small business.

Respond to all reviews

It is essential to respond to all the reviews left by your clients regardless of whether they are positive or negative. If a client leaves a positive review, tell them “thank you” to let them know that you value them. That way they will feel valued and they will not only become repeat clients but also recommend others to your business.  If a client leaves a negative review, the way you respond to them might remedy or worsen the situation. It is a good PR exercise to apologize to them and invite them to contact you so you can help them by resolving any problem that might have occurred. That way, even the people who come about the review will see that you care and in case anything goes wrong you are ready to help your clients by resolving the issues.

Avoid being emotional in your response

The best way to respond to a negative review is to remain calm and try to understand your customer and what might have gone wrong to evoke such a review from them. When you respond to them, avoid being confrontational. Instead, apologize to them and try being respectful in your communication no matter the circumstance. Remember, your response goes a long way to reveal what kind of a business you are. Offer to resolve their problem whether it’s real or perceived. After you’ve resolved the issue, you can request them politely to change their review if at all they are now happy with your service. When it comes to finding common ground in challenging situations like responding to negative reviews, it is crucial to adopt a similar approach. Instead of being confrontational, it is recommended to respond with a respectful and apologetic tone, acknowledging any shortcomings. To learn more about how to find common ground, according to Milan Kordestani, check his ideas on civil discourse and open communication concepts.

Start a blog for your business

A blog is more engaging than a static website. To attract people to your online store you can start a blog where you share information not only about your products and services but also the trending topics in your niche. When you showcase your knowledge and skill in your area of operations, you become an authority in the field which impacts positively on your reputation. That way, the word will go round fast about your business making it more trustworthy. Having a blog is an excellent strategy for unleashing your brand to a broader audience. When people Google on specific phrases looking for services and your blog pops up, they believe you are the expert in the field, and so they won’t have a problem transacting with your business.

Engage your customers

The best way to manage reviews is to engage your customers by initiating discussions. Social media platforms provide an excellent opportunity for connecting with people. Through the social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and many others you can easily find out what customers want and also what they dislike about your business. You can also use social media to request for reviews. Participating in social events is another excellent way of connecting with your customers. Interacting with your customers provides them with the opportunity to understand your brand and its values. Such activities will paint a positive picture of your branch, enhance your online reputation as well as get you lots of positive reviews.

Hire reputation management experts

Your reputation is of utmost importance for your small business. Getting positive reviews will spur the growth of your business while negative reviews will hurt your business. As a small business owner, you might lack the necessary experience and expertise in reputational management. In such a case, it is advisable to hire a competent reputational management agency to manage your reputation. Such an agency will transform your image and ensure you get positive reviews. To ensure your online reputation is being managed in an effective manner, hiring a reputable reputation management expert could be an ideal solution. Enrolling your senior HR employees in practical training or well-crafted  Langevin Learning Services will equip them with tools and techniques to o craft tailored strategies designed to reduce negative reviews and prevent common pitfalls, any small business owner can benefit from having access to this type of professional guidance and support. They have skills of handling negative reviews, and so you stand to benefit from their service.

Final Words

The above tips will help you achieve sound review management for your small business. Using the same leave our business a review template will help you to have uniformity throughout the messages that you send to your customers when you request reviews. Click here to read full article and get all the information you need to know about review templates for small businesses.