Welcome to another fun week of being an Entrepreneur. What has it been like for you? Any new wins? I am excited to say that one of my clients really made me smile this week when she said “Wow, the copy you wrote for me really gets me rejuvenated. I feel like it really captures the essence of who I am and the services I offer” What a compliment. I loved it. Then I started to think, how do you know the impact you are making on people if you don’t ask them to tell you. Especially in the world we live in today, its so important to not only get praise, but you need to receive it too. Have you ever brought a gift for someone and you put all your time into choosing the right color, shape, size, or even smell? You worried about things like “Will it break when I ship it?” or “What if it doesn’t get there on time?” Then finally the recipient receives it and says, “Thank You!”. You are left thinking, thank you? That’s it? What about it’s gorgeous! I needed one just like this! How did you know that this was my favorite color and it goes with my décor? Instead, you got “Thank You”! Well that’s the last time you buy a gift for someone. Well until the next time you have to buy a gift.
As an Entrepreneur, its important to remember that sometimes, your role is going to be thankless. Yes, you get a check, but the words of edification are not always existent. Well I have news for you. It doesn’t have to be that way! What if I told you that an important part of an awesome marketing strategy is asking for your proper thank you. By that I mean, asking for a positive review or rating needs to become part of your marketing strategy. Now, before I even continue writing this, I want to admit that one of the main people I am writing this blog for is me. Note to self, it is ok to ask your clients to leave you a positive review if you know that your interaction with them was positive. Actually, it’s probably better to ask them first “Do you have any feedback about my product or service?” and then when they gloat about how amazing you are, ask them if they can write you a review on Facebook, Google or Yelp. As a marketer, while any of those channels are great, I typically recommend having reviews left on Yelp preferably. Why? Because Yelp was designed as a ratings and review site. 93% of people who conduct research on review sites typically make purchases at the businesses they look up. Since Yelp was specifically created for reviews and recommendations, most people are going there strictly for that purpose and that’s why it’s the first that I recommend to my clients. That said, a review is like a piece of pie, take it whenever it’s offered. You don’t want to miss relishing in that deliciousness and giving others a chance to see the impact your business can make when they work with you.
Here is another tip to remember about reviews. If someone leaves you one, remember to thank them. And not just with a thank you. You see where that got you when you took the time to pick out the perfect give and the thank you, felt thankless. Go above and beyond. Be specific about something they wrote in their review as you thank them for taking the time to acknowledge you. Offer them up some appreciation for something they did well in the process of collaborating with you. As an example, “Nancy, thank you for the awesome review you wrote for me. It was so nice to see that you appreciated when I critiqued you about the tone your social media content may have been having on your fans. I loved working with you because you trusted me when I came up with new and different ideas about how to deliver your content to reach your audiences.” Lastly, when you already have a client raving about you, use that to your advantage. Ask them to tell their networks about you and perhaps offer them a special discount or incentive that they can offer their networks, for your services, just as a gift for you having the chance to have worked with them. They will love you for it.
So, remember, next time someone gives you a gift, don’t forget to be specific and intentional with your gratitude back to them. It goes a long way! Thank you is nice, but in the world we live in, unfortunately it has become stale and overused. Be kind, expressive and thoughtful in your thank you’ s just as you would want your clients to be with you. And when it comes to reviews, remember the age old saying, “Ask and you shall receive.” Make asking for referrals an active part of your overall business strategy and then use the responses on your website, social media, and marketing materials. It’s a testament to the work you do. You should be just as proud of yourself as others are of you! Thank you guys for reading my blog, I appreciate every one of you for being kind, supportive and inspiring.
