How to segment customers and ask for reviews
You don’t need formal research to show that more people are shopping online every day due to COVID-19.
Right now, more than 25% of consumers are buying products online, and 43% of consumers say they plan on transitioning to online shopping if the coronavirus continues. With this recent transition, people are more reliant on reviews from others to help make their purchasing decisions. Here’s a list of the top five categories people are buying:
- Food
- Health and Wellness
- Pets
- Apparel and Accessories
- Beauty
It’s important to understand that people are still writing reviews despite the shift from in-store to online shopping. The first group of people most likely to write a review for your company are people who believe in your brand. These people acknowledge the way you’ve helped them and want to give back to your business in some way.
The second group wants to help other prospective customers when looking at your product. They are honest in their reviews and just want to save time for others.
Even though there are customers who are proactive when it comes to leaving reviews, most of them need a push from your company in the form of a review request. There are a few things you should consider before you start sending out requests:
Segment your customers
The first step you must take before sending a request is segmenting your customers into one of three categories: loyalists, neutral, and doubters. Loyalists are people who love your business and believe in it no matter what. People who are neutral are simply complacent and not longing for a business-consumer relationship. Doubters are those who have had a negative experience and aren’t so sure of your business.
Now that we’ve segmented them into groups, how do we approach them?
With doubters, the goal is not to have them update their review but rather repair the damage that’s already been done. Neutrals are there to simply buy your product/service and never look back. There’s not much you should do with them as they most likely won’t ever be back unless given some sort of incentive. Loyalists are who you want to ask for a review up front. Be clear in what you want and make it easily accessible for them.
When to ask for reviews
There’s a time and place to ask for reviews. Did you go above and beyond for them to meet their needs? Did they come back, even during COVID-19? Do they consistently make large purchases from your company? Did you resolve a negative experience and make them happy? If you answered “yes” to any of these, you should ask them for a review. Be forward and clear with what you want. As the common phrase goes, “it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
While it’s important to note the changes in shopping habits due to COVID-19, we must realize people are skeptical about spending more than ever. People are more likely to leave a review because it’s free. You’re not asking them to spend money but to share their experiences.
Photo by Henry Perks from Unsplash
