How do we get more Google reviews? First, be sure to check out this article about why we want reviews. Then come on back here to break down 6 different places to ask for reviews - our website, our email, our social media platforms, our phone customers, in-person and other small businesses.I’m going to start with your website.

1) Website

One option is to add a simple button to your website that acts as a call to action to shoppers or viewers to leave you a review. You could have a banner or section of your website that says “Check out our Reviews page Here” and links right to your listing. You could take this a step further and have an entire Testimonials page, accessible from your main navigation menu. This page will show actual Google reviews to increase buyer confidence, and then include a link for the viewer to leave their own.

This is a great opportunity to boost your SEO as well. Don’t plug in the reviews as photos - type or paste them in as text so search engines can find them easier. Time saving tip - there’s online plug-ins and platforms that let you link your reviews (and your social media pages) directly to your site. EmbedSocial is an example of one that works on any website. You can ask your web provider for assistance as well!

The third place you could add a review link? Your thank you page. Once a customer places an order, the confirmation or thank you page that pops up can include a button to leave a review. Not everyone opens their order confirmation emails or even their delivery emails, so this guarantees that they’ll see the request.

2) Email

As I mentioned, an order confirmation email or delivery confirmation email are both good places to include your review link, and you definitely should. However, not everyone actually opens these emails or reads them. I have to admit - I see that it’s come in, see the subject line, and I don’t bother reading the rest. And yes, this means that I have a gazillion unopened emails and it drives my husband nuts :)

So what can you do to increase the open rate on those emails? Start with the subject line…. You could title the email “Re: Your floral order.” You could include a coupon for their next purchase with their delivery confirmation and have the subject line say “Your free thank you gift is inside”. Or - if this is a service you provide, you could let the customer know the delivery email will include a photo of the arrangement so they are looking for it. I would open and read that email, wouldn’t you?

So that’s for recent customers that have gone through our Point of Sale system or website and made a purchase. But don’t forget about the rest of your email list! You can run an email campaign focused on generating reviews. There’s nothing wrong with asking your past customers to do something that will help other future customers make informed decisions. Plus, when you have happy customers, you’d be surprised at how willing they are to write a review. Just be clear in your ask—don’t try to sugar coat it, beat around the bush, or coerce customers into leaving a review. As long as the process is clear and you make it fast and easy to do, you’re likely to get warm responses to your request.

I’d start with a short personal intro about how reviews are so important to small businesses or how YOU have used reviews to shop locally, and lead right into the request. Include the link to your Google profile front and center. Make it a section in your newsletter if you have a good open rate, or run a series of emails focused just on getting reviews. Another great way to use your email list to get reviews? Send out a customer survey! Keep it short, sweet and easy - 5-8 multiple choice or short answer questions. If you’ve gotten someone to fill out a poll or survey, they’re already in the proper mindset to leave a review, so include a review request at the bottom. I have done customer feedback surveys and put everyone that completed it into a drawing for a gift card. Just be sure to word that the review is appreciated but an optional part of the survey so you’re incentivizing it.

3) Social Media

Don’t have an email list? Create a survey in Google Forms or a site like JotForm and share the link on your social media pages! The same rules apply - short, easy and an optional review link at the end.

Your social platforms are a great place to request reviews. Your social media followers have gotten to know you better through conversational marketing and transparency. They are your online consumer community! Post a screenshot of your best review and ask your customers to leave their own feedback (including your clean and simple Google review shortcut link). Something like - “Reviews are always appreciated! Would you be so kind as to leave us one?” Or you could remind your followers that this is an opportunity for them to introduce someone else just like them to all the good things about your shop. Or that small businesses are the lifeblood of local communities and reviews help your small business. Keep it light and easy.

Ok, we’ve covered our online options for review requests - our website, emails and social media. Now let’s talk about some more personal ways to get you those Google reviews.

4) Phone customers

Chatting with a customer on the phone is a great way to establish a connection. We are often taking care of an emotional need - helping them express themselves by sending a gift for a special occasion or a memorial. So naturally you get to know the person a little, even if you’re just on the phone for 5 minutes. You’re already ending your call by thanking them for calling or wishing them a good day - simply extend that closure by requesting a review. Here’s an example “ Thank you so much for calling [Shop name] today, we’re going to take excellent care of your order. If you get a moment, would you mind leaving us a review on Google?”

If you’ll be sending an email or text, mention that they can find the link there.

Now I’ll be upfront with you - if I am helping a phone customer I am definitely reading the room. If they are a total picky pants or seem like a difficult personality, I’m not inviting them to post for all eternity on my Google Profile. But 90% of the time my phone customer is a lovely person, we have a great repertoire by the time the conversation is done and I feel comfortable making the request. At my shop, we often offer to send the customer a photo of the bouquet via text. So the Google review link goes out in their confirmation emails as well as that text. I say:

Attached is a photo of your gift. Thank you for your order! Reviews are a big deal to our small business. Would you please leave us a review here ---include google link-- ? Thank you!

At this point I’ve got a personal connection made, I’ve served them well, I’ve delighted them with a photo of some gorgeous flowers, and now I’m just making a simple request that they follow a link. Bonus - they can easily post the photo - that I have provided and have control over - to the review. And reviews with customer submitted photos are a signal of engagement to Google and are more likely to be read by browsers. Depending on the workflow of your shop, I would highly recommend implementing this as part of your delivery process. It takes 30 seconds for your driver to snap a photo and send a canned text message and it can reap big rewards for your business - both for building customer loyalty and for your Google presence.

5) In-person

Oftentimes your in-store customers are your best customers - or have the opportunity to be. Your repeat, loyal customers are the people that you want leaving you detailed reviews on Google. But they are the least likely to have done so because you are part of their everyday life. They aren’t interacting with you online. So you need to make it easy for them to access your Google listing while they are in your store.

Luckily, Google has made this simple.

Head to: https://marketingkit.withgoogle.com/. You can enter your business name and it’ll generate an entire kit for you to download and use - Business cards and postcards with a QR code, print ready posters, social media posts and even stickers. Display these at your front counter, on your display cooler or entry door, or any area where your customers linger. Have your staff mention leaving a review to customers when they check out.

Remember that QR code we made that leads to your Google listing? Add it to your print and emailed receipts and invoices. You could also have it printed on the back of your enclosure cards. Personally, I like to include a QR code on my enclosure cards with a lead magnet to capture delivery recipients email addresses, but a review link is a good alternative. Who better to leave a prompt, glowing review than the recipient of a beautiful bouquet??

6) Other Businesses

Think about vendors that you often work with, whether it’s event vendors or even suppliers. I’m sure they would appreciate a review from you - and would reciprocate with one of their own. Reach out and let them know you’re requesting reviews and that you will be leaving them one as well. You could also check with other local businesses - maybe fellow networking group or Chamber members, your neighboring businesses, or ones that you’ve collaborated with. Like I mentioned before, if you’re interacting with these people and stores on a regular basis, you may not have thought to leave them an online review - and they are probably in the same boat.

Ok - so you’ve got the reviews. Now what? You need to respond to them. In the third article of this series, I’ll talk about the importance of responding to reviews. I’ll also share some examples and a framework that I use when responding to both positive and negative reviews. Check it out by clicking the button below!