Yes. We can’t say it strongly enough – in fact, some sources, like Forbes, consider generating reviews “the single most important thing [a small business] can do to attract new customers.” Online reviews are the new word of mouth advertising. When a consumer is shopping online today, often the first thing they’ll look for are customer reviews – either of the business itself or the services and products they provide.

The easy answer would be that you need positive customer reviews wherever prospective customers are searching for your products or services. A more detailed answer would have to start with your website – when someone comes to your site, they should immediately see positive reviews. You can ask customers to leave reviews on social media, like Facebook, as well as on review sites, like Yelp. All of these efforts will help ensure that positive reviews are seen on Google when someone searches for you. Whether you try to do this on your own (an ongoing, time-consuming process) or work with a partner like Hibu, making sure prospects can see reviews online is a key to your business success.

As simple as it sounds… just ask. The vast majority of clients we talk with say that they simply aren’t asking customers for reviews. Of course, you need to plan WHEN you ask – right after a successful service call or delivery is probably better than at the bottom of a bill (although, that works, too).

The other key is making it as easy as possible. If you try to manage reviews DIY, make sure you provide instructions and links on emails and on your website. If you partner with Hibu, we’ll help you generate reviews and make sure those reviews appear where they should across the web.