+ All Categories
Home > Documents > The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Date post: 10-May-2015
Category:
Upload: phil-rozek
View: 6,118 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
Description:
My presentation from SMX West 2013 - on the "Must Have Local Search Tactics" panel on March 12, 2013. I describe a technique for asking customers for reviews, in a way that maximizes the number of reviews you have on the most-important sites, while minimizing the number of reviews that get filtered. Phil Rozek www.localvisibilitysystem.com
Popular Tags:
41
The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews Phil Rozek LocalVisibilitySystem.com (Twitter: @philrozek) Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013
Transcript
Page 1: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Phil RozekLocalVisibilitySystem.com

(Twitter: @philrozek)

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 2: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Business owner asks:“I have happy customers.

I know they’ll review me if I ask.

What do I ask them to do?”

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 3: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Me:“Depends on the customer.”

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 4: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

No such thing as “asking for a review”

It’s more complicated than that.

You need to deal with

at least 3 obstacles:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 5: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Obstacle 1:Diversity

You need to try to get reviews on a variety of sites.

Why?

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 6: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

So you’ll rank well in Google+Local, Bing, Yahoo, and Apple Maps.

And more importantly, so you get…

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 7: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 8: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Obstacle 2:Review Filters

Google+Local and Yelp filter out LOTS of legit reviews.

Unnatural in any way = gets filtered.

Many reviews don’t make it far…

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 9: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 10: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Why? Nobody’s 100% sure, but...

The frequency at which you ask for reviews is a factor for the filters.

Google & Yelp also are more likely to filter reviews by first-timers, AKA…

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 11: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Obstacle 3: Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 12: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

“Noobs” are a challenge because:

-By definition, they aren’t in the habit of writing reviews. So it’s confusing.

-They’re more likely to be filtered

(looks unnatural to Google & Yelp).

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 13: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

BUT you want need reviews!

Can’t be pushy, but you still need to give them direction.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 14: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Solution?

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 15: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Direct the traffic… Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 16: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

…but NOT in a straight line

You don’t direct each customer to the same review site.

Enter the “zigzag technique”:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 17: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Concept of zigzag:Guide with Questions

Guide them through their options.

Ask diagnostic questions to determine where a customer should review you.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 18: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Concept of zigzag: Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 19: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Specifics

Let’s take a look at some instructions a business owner could give customers.

(Wanted to show you the whole PDF, but it wouldn’t fit!)

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 20: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Had to improvise… Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 21: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Example of “zigzag”:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 22: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Option 1: Yelp Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 23: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Option 2: Google+Local Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 24: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Option 3: Yahoo Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 25: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Option 4: CitySearch Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 26: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Option 5: Whatever Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 27: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

By the way…

You’re not asking any one person to write multiple reviews.

Just one review – on one site.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 28: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

What’s the idea behind the zigzag layout?

3 principles:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 29: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Principle 1:Start with toughest sites

Specifically

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 30: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Active user? Good!

Not an active user?

Write review elsewhere.

You’re asking customers:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 31: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Principle 2:Easier sites = 2nd choice

Sites that are good to have reviews on but that are easier.

Yahoo, InsiderPages, CitySearch, maybe industry-specific sites…

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 32: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Principle 3:No unnecessary steps

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 33: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

They’re not having to create new accounts.

The “2nd choice” sites must be EZ.

= No frustration

= Fewer filtered reviews

= You consistently get reviews somewhere

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 34: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Think darts

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 35: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Goal? Get bulls’-eyes.

One way to get them is to have a good aim. (Gee, really?)

But there’s another way:

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 36: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Create more bulls’-eyes

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 37: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Takeaway: What to do

1. Figure out which sites you want reviews on.

Definitely Google+Local and Yelp,

plus 2-3 easier options.

Can always research competitors’ reviews.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 38: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Takeaway: What to do

2. Create instructions in which you show customers their options one at a time.

Can be a PDF, page on your site, or email.

Or you can ask them verbally.

It’s the guiding technique that counts.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 39: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Takeaway: What to do

3. Ask questions at every step – questions that channel active

Google+ users and Yelpers in one direction, and everyone else in

other (easier) directions.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 40: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

No matter what…

Make your instructions interactive.

Give them logic circuits.

Give them a brain.

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013

Page 41: The Zigzag Approach to Requesting Customer Reviews

Thanks!

Phil Rozek

@philrozek

LocalVisibilitySystem.com

Must Have Local Search Tactics March 12, 2013


Recommended