How Important Are Local Business Reviews?
In an increasingly digital landscape, businesses are quickly discovering that the key to thriving in a saturated and global marketplace relies nearly entirely on your digital footprint. And in this technology driven world, word of mouth has gone viral.
Left side: Sign hangs above shop doors reading "Store Closing".
Right Side: Business owner holds sign that reads "Help Wanted"
Craig Sommerson
It used to be that your customer's personal experience and opinion of your business was relegated to a small corner of the globe. Word of mouth was literally that: Neighbors sharing personal experiences with friends, families, and trusted associates regarding the goods and services they have been provided.
With few exceptions, the reviews given before the Internet took hold were nothing more than passing conversations that were confined to a small number of zip codes. In other words: Reviews didn't make or break your business.
All of that has changed, however, in this mobile media-centric world. Every single person, regardless of age, income, education level, or location is now considered a trusted advisor and confidant when it comes to reviewing your business. Every single contact, every interaction, every purchase, every email – every moment can result in a review of your business that can literally make or break your entire livelihood. Without proper attention or concern being given to the health of your online reviews, your credibility and profitability can suffer outrageously. The quality and health of your online reviews could quite possibly be the difference of transforming yourself into a Fortune 500 business or another failed business venture statistic.
More to come
In the next few weeks, we will be exploring the best ways to work with, foster, groom, and respond to your online reviews. We'll show you how to gather quality and reliable online reviews, what review platforms are best for what businesses, how to respond to negative reviews, and how to improve your customer service experience to encourage social media testimonials and viral reviews. Much like how you sought out knowledge and experience to guide your decisions running your business through the Internet, your clients are utilizing the world-wide-web to make decisions on where they spend their money. Online reviews are literally one of the most critical aspects of your business that you are overlooking, and with our help, you will be able to grow, thrive, and expand your online review reach and boost the bottom line of your business.