Yes! Responding to reviews looks proactive and shows that you care about your business.
Good Reviews
Responding to a four or five star review not only demonstrates your appreciation, but it gives you an opportunity to market your business. Here are some of the best practices when responding to a positive customer review.
- Thank them for leaving the review. Respond personally so that they know you actually took time to write your reply rather than copying and pasting a generic response.
- Reference certain things they said in their review.
- Use keywords like your business name, city, and business type in your response. These can help boost SEO.
- Market your business by suggesting other products or services you offer. You can also let them know of promotions and events that are coming up.
- Be sure to invite them back again.
Bad Reviews
Negative reviews can be a little more difficult to handle. Sometimes customers lie or are totally out of line. Sometimes it is the business’s fault and they deserve the criticism. Either way, it’s worth responding to every negative review. The best case scenario is to convince the customer to revise their review. These are the best practices in responding to negative reviews.
- Apologize! Even if you’re not sure it was your fault, apologize to the business owner and demonstrate you understand them.
- Invite them to speak with you privately. There is no reason to have a whole conversation on a posted review. Give them a number they can call to discuss their concerns. This is a professional way for you to apologize, clarify, and take action.
- Keep it short. Your response shouldn’t be more than a few sentences.
Anything in Between
What about 3 star reviews? Chances are there was just something small that kept them from giving you a positive review. Use the best practices from both the positive and negative sections to respond. Thank them for their business. If you feel a phone call with the customer would help resolve the issue, give them a contact number. At any rate, responding professionally with the intent to retain their business.
