The Power of the Review

By JULIE GREGORY

There are those of us who take time to reward a good experience by leaving a positive review, and those who only rate a service or product if they are disappointed. But how important is a review to a business and does it impact sales if it only receives poor ratings?

It may seem obvious that good reviews lead to more sales but even a small improvement in an overall star rating can boost sales too. Businesses with Google reviews, or those on Yell or Trip Advisor, can see a marked upturn in bookings or sales if their overall rating increases by just one star.

Online reviews are easy to find and add your own comments to and it really is important to any business to receive feedback – good and bad. If the business owner thinks he or she is offering a great service, but their customers disagree, the owner needs to be told, politely, there could be improvements. Reviews should be checked regularly and responded to.

‘Trust’ is important for any brand. People want to like and buy from you. But if they don’t feel they can trust you, they will look elsewhere.

Researching a product or service is much easier these days, as most brands have a website with product reviews and ratings.

If you’re searching for a particular washing machine, for example, all you need to do is enter the details in your internet search bar and the machine’s pros, cons, price differences between retailers etc will appear. If you are a retailer, the only difference could be your customer service. The better the experience, the easier customers will find it to return.

The marketing journey is slightly different as some brands incentivise customers for simply leaving a review, positive or negative. How often do you enjoy a meal out in a restaurant and are given a feedback form or online link with the bill? Do you participate or simply ignore it? Are you indifferent to the offer or the experience you have just had?

Consider the impact your review may have on a brand. If it is negative, is it constructive or a rant? Will others find it helpful? All I would say is that if you have had a positive experience, please leave a review to reward the business, and don’t only leave feedback after a negative encounter.