Importance of reviews/ ratings

Overview of Reviews and Popularity: The importance of building reputation

People like knowing what to expect when they buy something. When you go to the grocery store, do you buy a random assortment of new products each time? You probably don’t—there are a number of things you know you like and you likely stick with them for the most part. When a brand has a new version or flavor, that tends to be “safer” than something with no affiliation.

Similarly, people like to have a sense that they’re getting something good when the get a massage. There are two ways they can try before they buy—a free mini massage, or indirectly through the experiences of others. Reviews on sites like Amazon and Ebay, as well as direct recommendations, allow prospective customers to “try” you and before they buy and understand they’ll have a quality experience.

An online reputation is increasingly important in today’s world. Many people reflexively “Google” companies and people to see what information is out there. If you’re Googleable, people will see that you have an established reputation. If there are a lot of positive reviews and you score well, they are much more likely to trust that the experience will be good.

Goals

Utilize Reviews and Popularity Score to enhance your reputation:
1. Increase the number of “testimonials” to increase trust
2. Help clients know what to talk about
3. Respond to feedback and show engagement and improvement

Toolkit

• Specialization: Offering a service focused on specific groups of people tends to attract a vocal and supportive following from that group.
• Objectivity: Use of an objective third party shows that you have nothing to hide and that what you claim to do is really what happens. Allowing a 3rd party that validates each review and point as input from real customers makes the included feedback more meaningful
• Social proof: Most people want to use something that their friends (or at least others) have already tried out. By showing a strong history (or leading position), you can position yourself as a brand or expert and attract more customers at a higher rate.
• Consistency: Uneven ratings and reviews make people nervous. Keeping reviews coming in a steady stream with consistently high ratings gives users confidence.

Example Resources

• Reviews: Are you asking clients to post reviews of your service? Online reviews last forever and can be seen by a large number of people—they are extremely valuable and you should ask your clients to post some for you. Stars give people a sense of whether you are delivering the services you claim to.
• Feedback: Give people an opportunity to tell you how you’re doing. If something happens, talk to them about how you can make it better. Its much better that they tell you the mishaps than tell their friends.
• Popularity Score: People love to see numbers (and high numbers are even better). In the HealthShoppr system, you earn points for appointments booked, return visits, great reviews, and referrals. High scores indicate that users can reliably trust your services and are more likely to select you. High scores also gain more visibility in local searches. HealthShoppr will also share local “Top 10” style lists with media—can you make the list?