If you are a business that relies on reviews (and most businesses are these days, considering the popularity of websites like Yelp that allow clients and customers to leave reviews for just about any business), you might be wondering why your clients don’t leave you reviews. Some will—there are always people who are going to be overjoyed with your service, or that you have worked with for a long time, and see a review as a way to maintain that longstanding relationship or as a reward for outstanding service.

There are also going to be people that are (whether rightfully so or for no reason at all) going to be willing to leave you negative reviews. Sometimes a negative review can be an opportunity to make a mistake right or to explain your side of the story in a difficult situation.

sarasota-florida-digital-marketing

That said, the majority of your clients probably are not going to leave you a review. If you want to get more people to leave you a review, you are going to want to figure out why your clients are already not willing to leave you reviews. Keep in mind that some people are just never going to leave a review, no matter how much they love or hate you.

Here are some of the reasons the rest of your clients might not be leaving you reviews:

1. You don’t have anywhere obvious for your clients to submit a review.

This could be an issue on several levels. While it is possible that someone else has already made a listing for your on a review website, it is more possible that you will have to set up your own profile. This means that you actually have to go out, choose which review website is best for your business, and create your profile. Adding a little bit about your business and a few pictures will make the profile appear legitimate and might encourage friendlier reviews. If you are trying to encourage reviews on your actual website, you need to make the place to leave those reviews obvious. You could even send out a link to past clients that takes them specifically to the page where you want them to leave you a review.

2. You haven’t asked your clients.

The best way to get your clients to do something isn’t to try to gently nudge them towards what you want them to do—it’s to flat out ask them to do it. This is true of your conversion funnel and it is true of asking them to leave a review. If you don’t flat out ask them to leave a review, the thought will not even enter the mind of most people. Only do this, of course, if you are sure that the client is going to leave you a positive review. Bugging a client who has had a negative experience with your brand is a recipe for a very negative review.

3. You don’t offer any incentive for writing reviews.

It is important to mention on this point that you should not buy your reviews, nor should you stipulate that the incentive is only provided for positive reviews. The offer should be for anyone who takes the time to write a review. A good example of an incentive might be a monthly giveaway, where the winner is chosen from the list of people who have taken time out of their schedule to leave a review on your website or on one of your review profiles. This will still encourage reviews, but because you are not offering an incentive or anything in return for every single review you receive, it doesn’t look like you are “paying” your customers to leave you a review.

4. You don’t respond to the reviews you do have.

What’s the point of leaving a review if you don’t think that the business that review is for is ever going to see that review? People like to be acknowledged. When they leave a positive review, thank them for the review, comment on something they said in the review, and tell them that you are looking forward to working with them again. If someone leaves a negative review, respond very politely, still thanking them for taking the time to leave the review.

In this instance, if the reviewer has said something false, do not be afraid to tell your side of the story, if you can do it politely and calmly. If the reviewer has said something truthful, offer to make it right and/or apologize for misunderstanding.

5. It’s difficult to leave a review.

Only your most loyal clients will go through a three step process in order to leave you a review. For example, have you been asked to leave a review for a Hilton hotel recently? There are at least four pages of questions they want you to answer. If it is this difficult for your clients to write you a review, many will abandon the process, no matter how much they love you and the service that your provide. Don’t make it difficult for them to leave you a rating and a few kind words. The easier it is, the more people will do it, and the more reviews you’ll see.

If you are a business that relies on reviews (and most businesses are these days, considering the popularity of websites like Yelp that allow clients and customers to leave reviews for just about any business), you might be wondering why your clients don’t leave you reviews. Some will—there are always people who are going to be overjoyed with your service, or that you have worked with for a long time, and see a review as a way to maintain that longstanding relationship or as a reward for outstanding service.

There are also going to be people that are (whether rightfully so or for no reason at all) going to be willing to leave you negative reviews. Sometimes a negative review can be an opportunity to make a mistake right or to explain your side of the story in a difficult situation.

sarasota-florida-digital-marketing

That said, the majority of your clients probably are not going to leave you a review. If you want to get more people to leave you a review, you are going to want to figure out why your clients are already not willing to leave you reviews. Keep in mind that some people are just never going to leave a review, no matter how much they love or hate you.

Here are some of the reasons the rest of your clients might not be leaving you reviews:

1. You don’t have anywhere obvious for your clients to submit a review.

This could be an issue on several levels. While it is possible that someone else has already made a listing for your on a review website, it is more possible that you will have to set up your own profile. This means that you actually have to go out, choose which review website is best for your business, and create your profile. Adding a little bit about your business and a few pictures will make the profile appear legitimate and might encourage friendlier reviews. If you are trying to encourage reviews on your actual website, you need to make the place to leave those reviews obvious. You could even send out a link to past clients that takes them specifically to the page where you want them to leave you a review.

2. You haven’t asked your clients.

The best way to get your clients to do something isn’t to try to gently nudge them towards what you want them to do—it’s to flat out ask them to do it. This is true of your conversion funnel and it is true of asking them to leave a review. If you don’t flat out ask them to leave a review, the thought will not even enter the mind of most people. Only do this, of course, if you are sure that the client is going to leave you a positive review. Bugging a client who has had a negative experience with your brand is a recipe for a very negative review.

3. You don’t offer any incentive for writing reviews.

It is important to mention on this point that you should not buy your reviews, nor should you stipulate that the incentive is only provided for positive reviews. The offer should be for anyone who takes the time to write a review. A good example of an incentive might be a monthly giveaway, where the winner is chosen from the list of people who have taken time out of their schedule to leave a review on your website or on one of your review profiles. This will still encourage reviews, but because you are not offering an incentive or anything in return for every single review you receive, it doesn’t look like you are “paying” your customers to leave you a review.

4. You don’t respond to the reviews you do have.

What’s the point of leaving a review if you don’t think that the business that review is for is ever going to see that review? People like to be acknowledged. When they leave a positive review, thank them for the review, comment on something they said in the review, and tell them that you are looking forward to working with them again. If someone leaves a negative review, respond very politely, still thanking them for taking the time to leave the review.

In this instance, if the reviewer has said something false, do not be afraid to tell your side of the story, if you can do it politely and calmly. If the reviewer has said something truthful, offer to make it right and/or apologize for misunderstanding.

5. It’s difficult to leave a review.

Only your most loyal clients will go through a three step process in order to leave you a review. For example, have you been asked to leave a review for a Hilton hotel recently? There are at least four pages of questions they want you to answer. If it is this difficult for your clients to write you a review, many will abandon the process, no matter how much they love you and the service that your provide. Don’t make it difficult for them to leave you a rating and a few kind words. The easier it is, the more people will do it, and the more reviews you’ll see.

Published on July 28, 2016

About the Author: Tatyana Mournier

Tatyana Mournier is an over-caffeinated content writer, and proud Floridian. A Tampa native and die-hard Buccaneers fan, Tatyana is passionate about creating professional content that’s informative and educational for small business owners. When she’s not researching the latest tech and business trends, she’s often found in downtown Tampa enjoying some vegetarian cuisine.