Let's get positive! (reviews and testimonials.)

 A quick Google on the subject comes up with a slew of articles about the importance of customer testimonials to a business, especially a small business! After all, if you are looking to try a new business, wouldn't you want to know that other people have been happy with their service? "Testimonial" and "Review" are used interchangeably but there is a difference, according to a blog I found from online marketing company Hostpapa. A testimonial is a glowing endorsement of your service, whereas a review can go either way, good or bad. Let's take a restaurant as an example. In my experience, people are more likely to go on line and write a bad review for a restaurant than a good one; there's a flavor of punishment to many online reviews I see. "The server was rude", "My food was cold", "The menu said it came with peas and I got carrots". Sometimes the reviews can sound so petty! A testimonial, on the other hand, might describe a great experience, service above expectation: "I love this restaurant! The food was fresh and delicious! We'll be back!" 

So, why is it so hard to ask for a testimonial? Does it feel like asking for praise for a job well done? When you were a child, unsolicited praise from an adult meant so much more than pointing out what you had done and saying, in effect, "Aren't I good/clever?" This has been a stumbling block for me. I was taught that boasting is bad and you should do good deeds without looking for reward. That's fine for a lifestyle, but modesty doesn't help your business move up on Google! I'm working on it and I've learned a few things which are helping me overcome the modesty barrier.

• Ask for the testimonial!! Rather than waiting for a spontaneous outburst of gratitude, tell your customers that, "Your five star review would mean the world to me!".
• Ask right away, while the experience is still fresh in the client's mind. 
• Make it easy! A link to Google reviews or another platform means less work on the client's side so they are more likely to leave a review.
• Respond to all reviews with a thank-you. This helps endorse the review and shows that you are paying attention.
• If a client leaves a less than glowing review, respond and ask for a phone conversation to address the problem. This avoids a slanging match on a public platform. Written words are easy to misunderstand and people feel more comfortable being rude and aggressive in writing.
• If a bad review is left by someone you have never worked with (believe me, it happens!), a mild response such as, "please remind me when we worked together" might help mitigate the damage.

 I am trying to get into the habit of asking for reviews and also leaving them. Google helpfully tracks our every move and asks about our experiences at any business we visit. I have started leaving reviews for every small business with whom I have had a meaningful interaction. But only genuine, positive ones! I work on the basis of, "If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all."  The world needs more positivity-there are more than enough folks out there ready to leave the bad reviews!