So customer reviews shift stock – that much we know. But how do you get customers to do reviews? As a market researcher, I know only too well the challenge of getting customers to feedback on anything at all: less than 2% of the adult population (in the UK) willingly participate in research – they’ve just got better things to do. And those who do feedback typically hail from the camp of the desperate, lonely and compulsive.
So, in perusing Linda Bustos’ excellent blog over at Elastic Path Software, I was happy to stumble over Linda’s list of 8 Out-Of-The-Box Ideas to Attract Customer Reviews – in addition to the standard fare of follow-up emails and prize draws.
In summary, here they are;
1. Provide incentives on product pages themselves (review for chance to win)
2. Surprise with free samples (free stuff for feedback)
3. Use packing inserts (on-pack review form).
4. Provide in-store access (in-store review kiosks)
5. Explore multi-media (showcase video/audio reviews on your site)
6. Throw a customer appreciation party (tryvertising with reviews – get customers to come and try products and write reviews)
7. Recruit sampling teams (engage passionate customers as regular reviewers offering them samples).
8. Free return shipping with conditions (send back unwanted goods with a review – softens the blow)
