Making Public Opinion Work for You

Three Steps to Getting Ratings for your Business

Word-of-mouth can make or break your business. According to a Forrester poll, consumer–to-consumer recommendations—even online consumer postings to forums—carry a higher trust factor than virtually all other forms of advertising, including TV, radio and print. ¹

That’s a huge incentive for you to get customers talking about your services. The Eview offers lots of ways to create value, accent your consumer focus, and enhance word of mouth communication channels that affect your business.

Proactively Listen to your Customers 

Requesting feedback from your customers in the form of ratings and reviews helps your business in a variety of ways. It helps you:

• Hear how customers perceive you.
• See what they want or deem important.
• Show customers that you care about what they think.
• Make changes and improve.
• Learn what you’re good at.
• Fine tune your marketing message.
• Show you are accountable for your actions.

Enhance Customer Relations through Ratings

Use the Eview ratings system as a sales and support tool to let your customers know you care about them and their needs. Include ratings in your conversations about your business process with new customers. Incorporate ratings into your overall philosophy and as part of your service process as a customer-centric business.

When consumers realize that you are interested in what they think you become a trusted local provider. Your customers become even more loyal, and spread word-of-mouth opinions about you around town (and around the Internet via The Eview).

What’s So Good about a Bad Rating?

Positive customers are great, yet businesses need to encourage ratings from all their customers. Studies show that even a bad rating, when handled appropriately can be a positive thing. All businesses are going to make mistakes, but those businesses that address complaints and issues that dissatisfied customers share are shown to retain their customers just as likely as when no incident occurred. 
When consumers are pleased with your business, they will not only return again and again, they’ll tell their friends and neighbors. Why limit that positive opinion? Put it to work for you by turning your customers into your best advertising assets!
At The Eview, we give consumers a way to rate your performance and share their opinions with all of Bellingham. Do your part to encourage your customers to rate your business. You’ll want to start with at least 20 solid recommendations. Follow our three-step plan for getting ratings for your business.

Step 1: Educate your Employees about Eview Ratings

Explain to your employees how Business Eview makes it easy for consumers to rate local businesses online and share their opinions with others. Consumers like to rate because:

• It’s fun, easy, quick and FREE!
• It helps family, friends and community members to find value.
• It gives them power to help raise the local service-standard. 
• It helps your company and their service provider to improve service.
• It helps the local economy.

Businesses like consumers to rate because:

• Customer ratings can help community members discover the value you offer and bring in new business.
• By learning what customers think and how they feel, your business can become informed about what is working well.
• Everyone at your company can learn ways to improve business to increase customer satisfaction.

When employees realize that ratings will help customers be more content and happy, they will value the process and start to promote it among your customers.

Step 2: Approach Your Loyal Customers First

Did you know that at most companies, 20 percent of customers generate more than 80 percent of revenues and profit²? When you know what makes those loyal customers return again and again, it might prove easier for you to create more loyal customers. And just a five percent increase in customer retention can raise profitability by 25 percent³. So ask your loyal customers to rate your business first.

• Target your repeat customers and tell them you appreciate their business.
  
• Explain the value and importance of rating to your customers (use the tools offered by Eview to help educate them about the power of word-of-mouth).
  
• Offer them an incentive for rating your business online, like a Thank You Coupon that gives them a discount after they rate your business.

Step 3: Utilize Business Eview Tools to Solicit Ratings

The Eview offers its members web e-mail letters, postcards, and downloadable Word documents that you can share with your customers. For retail and restaurants, we offer table displays and small cards you can attach to receipts to introduce customers to Eview and encourage rating.

Our tools highlight the benefits of ratings for both customers and businesses, and reinforce how strong business-consumer connections can help contribute to the Good Business Difference that all Eview companies support. Use these resources and consider getting creative and accenting your strengths when contacting existing customers about sharing their opinions about your business with Bellingham.

Take the necessary action to encourage your customers to rate your business. Follow-up and thank them for their effort. And then watch as the positive comments your loyal customers offer actually helps recruit new business for you—a smart effective and affordable marketing process for your local business.