The Not-So-Secret Formula for Earning B2B Reviews
by MGB2B
Have you ever been on a business trip to an unfamiliar city and, when researching places to wine and dine your clients or colleagues, marveled at the sheer number of Yelp reviews some restaurants draw? It almost seems like magic, doesn’t it? I’m going to let you in on a little secret: it’s not magic. While there are plenty of review-writing fanatics out there (I once discovered a veritable novel on Yelp in which the diner recalled his entire day, pre-, during, and post-meal), many of those reviews, particularly the early posts, were likely sought by the restaurants themselves.
That is not to say that the posts were faked or the reviewers bribed, but that the input was simply requested. But only after first offering a great product, providing excellent service, and creating a memorable experience. It’s what Gary Vaynerchuk would call the Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, and it applies just as much to B2B brands as it does to B2C, if not more, thanks to significantly longer sales cycles, more customer touchpoints, and often, much higher spends. Yet somehow, B2B companies, particularly manufacturers, are failing to earn reviews.
While Vaynerchuk’s philosophy refers to creating a brand experience before a purchase is made, it’s relevant to the post-purchase review process, as well:
“Your story needs to move people’s spirits and build their goodwill, so that when you finally do ask them to buy from you, they feel like you’ve given them so much it would be almost rude to refuse.”
So what is the not-so-secret formula for earning B2B reviews? Ask for them.
Here are three ways to do it right:
- Simplify the process. Following a great experience, your customers will be eager to praise your brand, so make it simple for them to do so. In a follow-up email thanking them for their purchase (be it their first or fiftieth), include a link to your preferred site, whether it’s an industry-specific forum like HVAC-Talk or a general B2B review site like VendOp. If you’re looking for input about a particular aspect of their experience, say, the knowledge of your sales staff, let your customers know. Making it as easy as possible for them to give you exactly what you’re looking for will make your customers that much more willing to help.
- Make it mutually beneficial. In addition to making reviews easy for your customers to share, you can also let your customers know how you plan to use them, and how the reviews could benefit their businesses, too. For example, if you own an HVAC company and are developing new sales sheets and plan to feature recent product reviews, let your customers know that their reviews may be used, and that you will include a link to their website along with their comments. This not only helps to validate their input, but also to show gratitude and potentially generate new leads for their business.
- Don’t wait until the purchase is made. This might sound counterintuitive, but bear with me. B2B sales cycles are notoriously long and peppered with numerous customer touchpoints, many of which involve different members of your sales, design, engineering, or marketing teams. So why wait until the purchase is made to ask for feedback? Include opportunities for your customers to share their experiences throughout the process, and let them know that you will be using their input to improve their entire experience, both for the remainder of this purchase and (hopefully) the next.
- BONUS: Do it yourself. I don’t mean post your own reviews. Can I emphasize that again? Don’t forge reviews for your own business. What you can do, however, is allow your customers to share their reviews right on your website. Whether it’s through an app or a customized form, hosting a review sharing function right on your site can make life a lot easier – both for you and your customers, who will likely need to visit your site at some point anyway. If you decide to build a form, you gain instant access to the review’s content, rather than waiting for it to be processed by a third party. You can also determine if you want reviews to be visible to other site visitors or if you prefer to use the feedback internally. If you decide to highlight reviews on your site (and let’s be honest, you’re probably going to show the positive input only), be aware that site visitors and potential leads are taking those posts with a grain of salt.
The review process is extremely important for B2B businesses today. More than half of B2B buyers consult with reviews before making a purchase, and with search on the rise, there are more chances for reviews to be found. If you’re not asking for reviews, however, your business is going to someone else.
Tags: B2B decision-makers, B2B marketing strategy, earning B2B reviews, HVAC manufacturers