Are You Asking?

I’ve had a Facebook fan page for a few months for my hosting business, and noticed there’s a review tab.  I could just wait around and hope someone would leave me a nice review.  After all, it’s a little scary to say, “Hey, come share your feedback!” when your business is your baby and you put your heart into it.  But we’ve got to reach out and ask for feedback.  Customers will sometimes share spontaneous feedback… but more often, you’ll need to ask!  When you do you’ll be rewarded with great responses.  Plus you’ll be notified if there’s something that needs fixing (it’s better to know than wonder!).

Twice recently I’ve done this.  I asked customers to leave me a review on my Merchant Circle account and got some fabulous feedback.  Then I asked on my company fan page at Facebook and got testimonials that really made my day.

Here are some easy ways to ask for feedback and reviews:

• Include a note with orders when you deliver or ship them
• Send a follow up email to check in and offer a link to leave feedback
• Add a page to your website inviting clients to send their feedback to you
• Post a request on your Facebook fan page for reviews (or other social networks)
• Leave reviews on LinkedIn and request reviews from clients
• Put a little note in your ezine or newsletter inviting feedback and linking to the places customers can leave feedback for you
• Create a customer gallery and invite customers to send you photos showing off their purchase
• Add a guestbook or comment page to your web site to allow visitors to leave comments
• Got another idea?  Something that’s worked for you?  Share in the comments!

Be sure you get permission to use testimonials clients send and then sprinkle them throughout your website, including a link to their website if they’re a fellow business owner or blogger.

And don’t forget to offer your two cents when you love a product or service, too!  You might just make someone’s day.  :)

It’s great on the tough days to be able to look at that and know that even though not every day in a work at home mom’s life is perfect, and sometimes we make mistakes that require fixing, or don’t live up to our own expectations, it doesn’t mean we aren’t succeeding and helping others!

(If you’ve been having some of those tough days lately, you might like this article I wrote a while back about How to Handle a Confidence Crisis with Your Own Positivity File or this one with Quick, Simple Ways to Recharge).