Securing Client Reviews

[standenman]

Securing client reviews has been an important part of my practice. I have over the years groused about google losing my review (had about 10, now only 5). I now have 5 high quality reviews, and have been soliciting new ones from clients. I tend to ask clients for reviews in batches, and recently asked 5 clients for whom I recently won. I directed them to my google places url ala the suggestion/link I found her from Linda.

No new reviews are showing up. It is of course a bit awkward to recontact clients ("why haven't you done my review?") and I am wondering 2 things: is there any type of review service that could help out? (I see mentions here of genbook which I checked out and is not for google Places reviews). Second, is anyone experience review failure recent due to Google+? For example, do reviewing clients have to have established a google profile in order to leave a review? Thanks.

 

[Laustin1878]

I haven't researched any services to facilitate this for you but if you capture an email address at any point, I'm sure you could create a template-like email and send a follow-up after the sale or conversion with links to a few popular review sites. You could mix up these links. If you notice that after a month or so (allowing enough time for these sites to aggregate the review and post it) a review was not left, you could send a reminder email.

Some people flat out don't care about reviews and yes you to death. It's part of nature. They often, just need a little nudge or reminder once in a while to leave one for you.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Stan,

I just checked your page and all the reviews are old - 2 years+ from anonymous Google users. This 'could' suggest your reviews are being blocked. Heavy emphasis on 'could'.

Did you do anything dicey in the past? Ever get reviews from your office PC or hire a rep management firm to do reviews for you or anything at all?

I also did a special search that sometimes reveals blocked hidden reviews and didn't find any for you. Could be the clients just never left one.

I imagine now that clients must have a Google account and can't be anonymous, getting atty reviews is tougher because some folks may not want friends to know they had a problem.

At any rate, I would do as Luke suggests and ask for reviews one at a time at the time of service.
If you only have 5 reviews in 3 years. And then you sent out 5 requests and they ALL happened to post (which is not likely) --- to the algo it may look like an unnatural review push.

I still think this advice from Mike is best. Lots of choices and slow and steady wins the race!
Asking for Reviews (Post Google Apocalypse)