How to Get Reviews by Text And Maximize Customer Feedback

Today, before deciding to purchase a product, people look at the product options, prices, and reviews across many platforms. We know that many consumers will only act after reading a positive review. That’s because, these days, many options and websites are available for every single service and product.

This is why reviews have become so important. Thus, you need a strategy for capturing those good reviews from your loyal customers.

Many buyers consider real-life, authentic customer reviews as a decision-making factor. Good reviews are effective, yes, but what’s even more effective is many good reviews. A business texting service is a good way to start accelerating your online reviews.

In this article, we’ll examine how to get reviews by text effectively without being intrusive. We’ll review how text message reviews work and ensure that everything is legal and considerate for the customers.

How Text Message Reviews Work in Businesses

Text message reviews tap into a simple yet powerful idea: asking for customer feedback via text message. Considering how attached we are to our smartphones and how nearly every text gets opened, it’s a quick and effective way to hear from your customers.

After someone makes a purchase or tries your service, you send a friendly text. It’s just a small request, inviting customers to share their thoughts or leave a review. 

It’s an easy, no-fuss approach that makes giving feedback as simple as sending a text back.

Text Messaging Etiquette

When implementing text messaging strategies in business, especially text message review requests, two critical aspects to consider are timing and follow-up frequency. 

It’s essential to respect your customers’ time. This means sending texts during reasonable hours, which generally align with standard business hours. Early-morning messages or late-night pings can be intrusive and may negatively impact the customer’s perception of your business. 

Also, it’s crucial to be aware of your customers’ different time zones. To avoid any inconvenience, sending a text message to a customer in a different time zone requires an understanding of their local time.

Equally important is how often you follow up. Bombarding customers with too many messages can be counterproductive, as it may lead to irritation rather than engagement. A single, well-crafted message is typically sufficient. If a follow-up is absolutely necessary, it should be sent after a reasonable interval – only once and not immediately after the first message.

5 Types of Reviews Your Customers Can Give You

Are you gathering reviews from your customers? Great idea! Each type of review gives you a unique peek into what you’re doing right and where you could do better.

Here are different types of reviews you might want to ask for:

How Was Our Place?

What do customers think when they step into your place? 

By asking this, you’ll get a complete picture of their experience, perfect for businesses like cafes, shops, or hotels. You’ll find out what they think about the ambiance, the cleanliness, the staff—basically, the whole experience.

What Do You Think of Our Product?

Asking your customers this question helps you understand their thoughts about your offer and whether you met their expectations. 

This feedback is crucial for identifying your product’s strengths and areas for improvement. By listening to your customers, you can make adjustments that ensure your product meets and exceeds their expectations.

Give Us a Shout-Out on Google

Requesting a review on Google acts as an online endorsement for your business. It reflects well on your work and helps new customers find and feel confident choosing your services. 

This feedback plays a key role in shaping your business’s online reputation.

Just Let Us Know

When you tell this to your customers, you’re opening the opportunity for them to share anything and everything about their experience. 

You can talk about their entire journey with your brand, from browsing to buying and using your product.

How’d We Do on Customer Service?

This lets you get a real feel for how happy customers were with the help they got. 

It acts as a quick check-in to see what’s clicking and what might need a tweak to ensure customer satisfaction.

Benefits of Getting Online Reviews from Customers

Grow Online Visibility

Online reviews are the modern-day equivalent of word-of-mouth tips. They guide new buyers toward making smart choices. The more positive reviews, the better.

A good way to leverage the reviews for online growth includes using them on your website, across your social media channels, in your targeted ads, and more.

Gain the Trust from Viewers

Even well-known brands with many repeat customers and references must work hard to maintain trust in their reviews. With every purchase, customers are likely to check the latest reviews.

This can be achieved by consistently adding new reviews—when a product or service has many good and recent reviews, customers will be more likely to do business with your brand.

Increase Sales & Revenue

It’s simple – good reviews generate revenue by making decisions easier for people who are undecided between multiple options. When done right, reviews can help you increase your sales drastically. 

The quantity of good reviews is also vitally important.

Improve Product/Services

Reviews are great for understanding what your customers are looking for. They give you the inside track to adjust your offerings to meet their needs better. 

With this valuable feedback, you can enhance your products or services, determine the best way to market these improvements and boost your sales.

How to Gain Customer Reviews Using Texts

Step 1: Ask About Their Experience

After they’ve made the purchase, consider asking your customers to rate your service/product on a scale of 1-5 or ask them an open-ended question to provide comments. This way, you can identify the customers best suited to leave good reviews.

Following up with those who gave a bad rating or reaction is equally important to turn the situation around. Otherwise, you risk getting a bad review. Texting review requests helps you manage all reviews more effectively.

Step 2: Great Rating? Now, Ask for a Review!

After understanding your customers, request reviews and ask them to leave a review on whichever sites you need. You can include the link so customers can add reviews with a single click.

There’s plenty of evidence in the market that satisfied consumers will leave a review if only asked – so don’t miss that opportunity. A business texting solution can make asking for those reviews easy and personal without being too intrusive.

Step 3: Offer Incentives for Reviews

Consider rewarding your happy customers for their reviews with a discount code.

You can never have too many good reviews, and preventing bad ones is a great strategy for improving your odds. So, go ahead and ask your customers for their reviews and start accelerating online reviews with a business texting solution.

How to Craft Effective Review Requests

Effective SMS review requests should combine timing, tone, and clarity to encourage customers to share their experiences. Here’s how you can get it right:

Personalize Your Message

Start requesting reviews with a personal touch. Use the customer’s name and reference the product or service they purchased, and consider adding a picture of 5 stars so they get the idea that you are hoping for 5 and not 4.

This makes the message feel less like a broad blast and more like a conversation.

Sample Message:

“Hi [Customer Name], thank you for choosing [Product/Service]! We’d love to hear about your experience. Your feedback helps us improve and helps others make informed decisions. Please share your thoughts here. [Link] Thanks a lot!”

Time It Right

The timing of your request can greatly influence the response rate. Aim to collect reviews when the customer’s experience is fresh but has had enough time to use your product or service. 

When to send the request depends on the service or product being delivered. This might be a few hours after providing a spa treatment or a few days if they need time to try out a product. 

Be Clear and Concise

Your customers might be busy. Make your request as straightforward as possible. Clearly state that you’re asking for a review and why it matters. 

Keep the message short and to the point.

Explain the Process

Remove any barriers to leaving a review by explaining how they can do it. If you send a link, ensure it takes them directly to the review page. 

If the process is more involved, provide step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow.

Express Gratitude

Let them know their feedback is valuable and appreciated. A simple thank you can go a long way in showing you don’t take their input—or their time—for granted.

Sample Message:

“Hello [Customer Name], we hope you’re enjoying your [Product/Service]! Could you spare a minute to leave us a review? It’s a huge help to us and other customers. I appreciate your support! Here’s the link: [Link].”

Follow Up If Necessary

A gentle follow-up can be effective if you don’t receive a response. 

However, respect their choice if they decide not to leave a review. One follow-up is usually enough; more can be intrusive.

Sample Message:

“Hi [Customer Name], we noticed we hadn’t heard back and just wanted to check in. If you have time, we’d still love your feedback on [Product/Service]. It means a lot to us! Thank you! [Link]”

Handle Negative Feedback Privately

If a customer has had a less than satisfactory experience, invite them to share their feedback through a private channel first.

Sample Message:

“Hi [Customer Name], we’re sorry to hear your experience with [Product/Service] wasn’t as expected. We value your feedback and would like to make things right. Could you please share your thoughts with us here? [Direct Contact Method] Thank you for your honesty.”

This allows you to address their concerns directly and turn their negative experience into a positive one before it becomes a public review.

Gather Customer Feedback Efficiently with Textellent

Give your request reviews a big boost with Textellent! Crafting and sending personalized messages to ask for feedback might seem challenging, but Textellent makes the process seamless and ensures that every customer feels valued.

Sign up for a Free Trial or request a Demo consultation today.

Conclusion

Reviews are crucial for every business; they act as endorsements or provide insights for improvement. The key to asking for reviews lies in timely, personal requests that are easy to understand and expressing gratitude.

Each review is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction and improvement. Acknowledge every piece of feedback, thank your customers, and use their insights to improve. 

FAQs About Online Reviews for Businesses

Should I respond to all reviews, even the negative ones?

Yes, it’s good practice to respond to all reviews. Acknowledging a positive review shows appreciation, while thoughtfully responding to a negative review demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and willingness to address concerns.

Can I send a Google review request directly to my customers?

Yes. To make it easier for customers, review requests often include a direct link to the business’s website or social media page or request Google reviews through the Google Business profile. Once redirected to the review sites, customers are encouraged to leave feedback.

How often should I check my online reviews?

It is important to monitor your online reviews regularly. Depending on the feedback volume, this could be daily, weekly, or monthly. Staying updated lets you respond promptly and keep a pulse on customer sentiment.