A positive review can be a great marketing opportunity to highlight some of the aspects that make your business stand out from the rest. It can inspire people to talk about your business and become loyal customers. Also, by responding to a positive review, you can show current and potential customers that you truly care about the services you provide. So writing a personalized response is worth the effort!
Respond to Positive reviews – this is how it’s done:
Step 1: Acknowledge the positive review
This first step might seem pretty straightforward but it deserves your attention. Acknowledging the fact that you appreciate the review and/or visit from your customer is crucial when it comes to responding to a positive review.
The fact that your customers took the time to show their appreciation in the form of a review is admirable. Especially when you realize that only about 1% of customers write reviews. And with 97% of customers aged 18-34 reading reviews before visiting a business, this 1.5% can make all the difference!
Keep in mind that some customers also share their negative experiences. So all the more reason to show some love to those who leave positive reviews! Learn more about how to respond to negative reviews here.
Some examples:
- Thank you for the lovely words, Karen. Receiving great reviews like these means the world to us!
- We’re delighted to receive your awesome review, Peter. Comments like these make everything worthwhile!
P.S.: Don’t forget to be specific, i.e. mention the name of the customer, when saying thank you. It’s always nice to know your review is being managed by a person who cares.
Step 2: Mention exciting highlights or features
As we mentioned, only about 1% of customers write reviews. All the more reason to make the most out of the reviews you do receive! Mentioning specific promotions or features can help transform the writer of the review into a return customer. Highlighting menu specials or cool features in the bar, restaurant or hotel can give a potential customer the push he or she needs to visit your establishment. Wherever possible, link the promotion or feature you’re mentioning to the review you’re responding to. By doing this, you make sure you don’t come off as being too pushy.
Some examples:
- We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed our risotto, Simon! I’m excited to tell you that we’ve recently added a new butternut risotto to the menu as well!
- Nice to hear you liked our Madras curry, Mo! Next time you come by, you may want to try our Vindaloo!
- I’m very pleased to hear you loved our lasagna, Jermain. You should try our zucchini lasagna next time!
Step 3: Mention the name of your business in your response
The fact that you get to see a positive review is one thing. But making sure that potential clients can see these amazing comments too is another. By mentioning your business name when responding to a positive review, you increase the likelihood of other customers seeing it when searching for your company. Adding other keywords can also be beneficial when you want to improve your search ranking.
Some examples:
- Thanks for the great review, Thomas. Our chefs are working hard every day to make sure we provide you with the best!
- That’s wonderful, Amanda. Our staff appreciate your kind words!
Step 4: Add a call to action
Inviting the reviewer to do something is a great way to finish your response. Think of other items on the menu that might be interesting for the reviewer. You could mention a specific drink that would go perfectly with the dish they were so enthusiastic about! Asking the customer to share their review is another way to add a great call to action. Or simply invite them back to your establishment to turn them into return customers!
By doing this, you will not only mobilize the reviewer but will also encourage other people who read your response to visit your business.
Some examples:
- Thanks a lot, Caroline! Next time, try our mango lassi to go with your butter chicken. It’s a match made in India!
- Awesome review, Michael! Looking forward to seeing you again!
We’ll leave you with a few key takeaways to bring back to your team:
- Be consistent when responding to a (positive) review, i.e. try to keep the same tone of voice every time you engage with your customers.
- Share great reviews with the whole team to boost employee morale!
- Always respond to positive reviews publicly.
- Try to respond to the review as soon as (reasonably) possible. A customer won’t feel like you care about them when you respond months after they posted their review.
- Prepare clear guidelines for how best to respond to reviews and update them regularly. Make sure it follows the tips outlined above.
Pro-Tip: Automate the collection of reviews (and messages on social media) to ensure that you never miss a review again! If you want, you can use an app like AreTheyHappy to ensure that you are notified as soon as reviews are posted.