Pokemon Go, But Make It Google Reviews

Why are Google reviews so important? Are they important? In a candid conversation filled with relatable anecdotes and practical advice, we navigate the often-overlooked power of reviews.

Discover how timely and tactful requests for client reviews not only bolster business reputations but also fuel professional joy and motivation. We don't shy away from the discomfort some feel around self-promotion, instead, we arm you with strategies to encourage feedback graciously, fostering a culture where the significance of reviews is mutually appreciated.

Whether you're a business owner hungry for growth or a thoughtful patron eager to leave your mark, this episode is your guide to mastering the art of reviews.

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Chapters

• 0:53 Forgetting About Reviews
• 2:13 Kristy is a Google Reviewer
• 3:53 Asking For Reviews
• 7:46 Creating a "You Did So Good" Folder
• 9:28 Importance of Client Reviews and Feedback
• 16:08 How to Ask for Reviews
• 19:26 Product Reviews
• 21:46 Don't Make Us Lose Our Funding

Transcript

Kristy: 0:26

Welcome back. Another episode. They're here again, so we must have done something right.

Anna-Lynn: 0:32

Welcome Welcome.

Kristy: 0:35

We're going to talk about serious things. Yes, yeah, today we have a thing to discuss, a real thing. We do, we do. We want to talk about reviews today Reviews in the business world. What are your thoughts? What are your?

Anna-Lynn: 0:51

feelings. I feel like it's something that can kind of like drop off our radar. We don't really think about it, I think, unless we are thinking about Seapoint Digital, like the times that we think about it when we're overhauling our website or we have a particularly good experience with a client and then we're like, oh hey, we should get that in writing to use in our marketing Testimonials. Caught up in the day-to-day of marketing and just being in in the middle of things doing the work, and that we forget about that part of it. Yeah, and we're so busy promoting other people that sometimes they think we forget to promote ourselves. Yeah and um, and I think we kind of push it to the background, thinking well, we're, we're so busy with clients, maybe we're getting a lot of referrals. You know, it's not really that important if we are getting these testimonials or not or if we're not going after these reviews from our clients, and I think it can be so easy to kind of let it go.

Kristy: 2:10

Yeah, I think about reviews all the time, like for products, for businesses. In fact, I'm currently on a mission to up my level as a Google reviewer.

Anna-Lynn: 2:22

Right, now I'm level five yeah.

Kristy: 2:24

I don't know what mine is.

Anna-Lynn: 2:26

Do you review on Google? Very often? I have in the past, I haven't lately. I was a big Amazon reviewer.

Kristy: 2:31

Do you review on Google? Very often I have. In the past I haven't. Lately I was a big Amazon reviewer. It's a little bit my Pokemon Go, if you will. It's my way of trying to achieve a new thing. So I'm always looking to get more points and level up, and I'm a local guide level five right now, but I'm so close to getting to level six. I'm an expert reviewer. I'm a local guide level five right now, but I'm so close to getting to level six. I'm an expert reviewer. I'm a novice photographer, but I'm so close to getting up to a next level photographer. Um. So yeah, like I have a lot of fun doing it and I know it helps businesses, I I tend to lean towards preferring to review positively.

Kristy: 3:13

I know it helps businesses, and there's only been maybe one or two times that I've ever reviewed negatively, because I know that's helpful too for people to know if they're having a bad experience. But yeah, so I think about it all the time and for products I like too. It's weirdly like my downtime, de-stressing Like are you normal? Would you review in your de-stressing?

Anna-Lynn: 3:38

time. Are you a Christy-level reviewer or are you the average person?

Kristy: 3:43

And so because of that, I think about getting reviews for myself a lot. Reviews for myself a lot, and maybe a couple years ago I didn't know how to do that until one of my friends, who also used to be a photographer, told me just ask just ask people, and I think that gets kind of cringy.

Anna-Lynn: 4:01

For some people, though, like when you. I think that's part of the reason some people don't go after reviews or testimonials is because it feels kind of icky, like, hey, can you brag about us for a second?

Kristy: 4:14

But I found the right words to do it. When I send my Matterport and drone work, I usually just put it very small at the bottom when I send all of my stuff over, and I forget the exact wording that I use, but basically just like hey, if you were happy with my, our services, please consider writing a review. It really helps our business, and I hyperlink the Google review that sends you straight to the review. They do know it takes no effort. All they have to do is click the link and it brings you right up to to the review. They do. No, it takes no effort. All they have to do is click the link and it brings you right up to Cpoint's review, and so it creates no additional work. They don't have to like well, I would, but like I don't know how to do it.

Anna-Lynn: 5:01

I'll do that later.

Kristy: 5:02

I'll have to go hunt down your page, like it's just, it's hyperlinked and it sends them. Yeah, and it linked and it sends them. Yeah, and it I feel like it's written in a way that's like, if you want to, it helps us out. No pressure, no pressure. Yeah, and I have gotten so many good reviews because of it. Yeah, and otherwise I don't. I think people don't think to do it is all it is. I think people have had so many positive experiences with me.

Kristy: 5:27

Um but your Matterport and your droning and they and they've told me that, yeah, you know, the next time I see them like that's why they've hired me again, or or whatever, and so I know they would leave a good review. People just don't, it's just not on their mind, they don't think of it right until I'm like, hey, if you would do that, it would really help us out. Yeah, and so because of that, I mean in the last three I've probably got 10 to 15 reviews because of it, and it's, it's nice, it does help us. And so now, when people go, well, how do they do it? Matterport and droning, like people can check, cause that's what I do.

Anna-Lynn: 6:03

When I'm looking for a service, you want to hear from other people who have already used the service that you're looking into to kind of gauge gauge. Is this really what I'm looking for or?

Kristy: 6:12

you know, when you have, I need to keep looking. Yeah. When you have options for services, you know you guys can talk yourselves up all you want yeah, you're looking to say your best, but what are other people that have used you saying so? Um, and that's why I try to pay it forward by also reviewing people um, like I want them, so I know other people want them.

Anna-Lynn: 6:34

I think the timing part of it is important too. Like you have it set up so that when you're right in the initial, when you're emailing them, it's linked at the bottom very easily for them to find it, but it's right at the beginning of your interactions with them. Yeah, yeah, which is, I think, really an important point, because if it's too far away yeah, Out, like too far away from when they interacted with you or when they hired you, then they'd be less likely to actually go ahead and leave a review, because it's not fresh in their mind. They're like oh well, like five months ago I did this with Christy. So if you wait too long to be like, oh hey, do you think you could write a review, Then a lot of those important like little details or things that really stood out to them are going to be gone.

Kristy: 7:27

Exactly.

Anna-Lynn: 7:27

And it's also going to feel more like a oh, now I have to go back to that, Now I have to. It feels more like you're giving them a chore or a task to do.

Kristy: 7:38

And if they were really excited about the product that they got, like you said, that's the right moment for them to write a really good. Yeah, I kind of want to read you my favorite review. You should or maybe just bits of it, because I have it saved in my phone because I read it when I'm sad sometimes, see, because it's like it's a boost on the days when you really need it. Listen, guys, here's what I recommend to everybody you keep screenshot folder in your gallery of your phone of times you did something well and then you go to it when you're feeling like crap about yourself.

Anna-Lynn: 8:16

Or have imposter syndrome and be like I don't know what I'm doing, I've got 27 images in my you Did so Good folder and it's all like.

Kristy: 8:25

Some of them are reviews, some of them are just nice emails.

Anna-Lynn: 8:28

This is so on brand for you. I love it.

Kristy: 8:32

It really is, but it's also a little pathetic. One of them listen. One of them is Sean Kingston, retweeting my tweet to him. So well, did I really earn that? No, Does it make me happy?

Anna-Lynn: 8:51

You're basically best friends now.

Kristy: 8:52

Actually, a lot of them are in here, just like screenshots of the work chat, like being like you did amazing at this video, christy, or just something like that. Anyway, that's off topic, but um I still valid. I think everyone should do that.

Kristy: 9:08

It's like it's like an internal review it is and I think, like I don't know just, everyone gets down on themselves and sometimes I just go back when I'm just like, wow, I suck at my job or whatever, and and I'm like not according to this person. Anyway, little snippet of this person's because I don't want to call them out too much. Then again they left it publicly on Google.

Anna-Lynn: 9:34

So what I mean? This is just a part of it.

Kristy: 9:37

They named me personally. Christy Billingsley recently did a virtual tour for our business. She's extremely professional, to the point and yet very funny and personable. Nailed it. After the job was complete and the work was done, I went home and had a conversation with my fiance about how solid Christy is as a person and how well she conducts herself when on the job site person and how well she conducts herself when on the job site. The follow-up after the work was completed took exactly how long she said it would and was very detailed about the next steps. Blah, blah, blah.

Anna-Lynn: 10:12

So I'm like, wow, that's a lot to live up to that.

Kristy: 10:14

I'm hilarious when I'm on the job and professional You're the total package Now.

Anna-Lynn: 10:21

You have to be the total package on every job. Now. I have to be funny. Now I have to be professional. You're the total package Now. You have to be the total package on every job.

Kristy: 10:25

Now I have to be funny. Now I have to be professional.

Anna-Lynn: 10:28

So there could be some small backfires when you ask for reviews, but it's all good, it's a growth story. You know it's an opportunity.

Kristy: 10:39

The point is, I'm like I don't think he would have remembered that I was hilarious if he had written that Five months later.

Anna-Lynn: 10:45

So timing is key. Timing is important. Asking for the review and when you ask for it Right, both are very important yeah.

Kristy: 10:54

And we recently. So like I don't think it's wrong to ask for it, because we recently had a friend ask us for a review of their business and I was so happy to do it yeah, you know, and part of what she said is you know they were looking to make changes.

Kristy: 11:08

They're like they're revamping this year and they're looking to make rechanges, and reviews will really go a long way in helping them with some of these changes this year. And I'm like there yeah, yeah, happy to, yeah, yeah, happy to contribute to that. Mm-hmm, totally get that, yeah.

Anna-Lynn: 11:22

So I know, recently we got one unexpectedly. We have a new client that we've been working with and we were creating a website. I created the brunt of the content for them and they sent us this beautiful email. It wasn't even really a review, it was more like something that was shared internally and specifically, they called out they loved the content, they loved the writing, and I was just like it feels so good, it made my week.

Anna-Lynn: 11:58

Yeah, I don't get. I'm not very client facing. Yeah, I am to a degree. Um, I'm in on meetings to, but a lot of times what I'm doing is I'm listening, I'm absorbing information and then putting something out there for them, um, and so I don't have a lot of direct contact sometimes with these clients. So when they turn around and directly speak to what you did for them and tell them how much you loved it, it's just, it's such a boost and it gives you, it's just, it makes you want to work even harder for them. Yeah, it does Too. Yeah, so it's I feel like. So, I feel like that's one reason, too, why the reviews are so important.

Kristy: 12:47

It's reassurance that you're on the right track. Yeah, yeah.

Anna-Lynn: 12:50

Like you're, you are putting something out there that is helping other businesses to grow, and I mean that's the whole point of what we're doing, and when that happens, it's like magic, it's just like the best, the best feeling, and I think it's especially I've always been one like I love.

Anna-Lynn: 13:09

I personally like leaving reviews when I get really excited about a company If they're doing something that nobody else is doing or they're doing something in a new way that is like brilliant and very impactful, and like I want to tell everybody and I want to see them succeed right, and so then I'm like I will write you the best review, like and so it's turning it back onto your own company and getting that kind of feedback from your clients and asking, do we do something really good? Like when you know when, if you have a client you just had a win with, like you worked on something together, it was a collaboration, and they just win big from it. Like let's document it. You know it's like it's a moment that needs to be saved and put it down in writing because it's just sometimes it's a big thing, it sounds like that one for you you need to put in your you Did so Good folder.

Anna-Lynn: 14:14

I do. I need to screenshot it. I need to start that folder.

Kristy: 14:19

I'm sure there's so many things. Can you mentor me? There's so many things I've said to you that you can screenshot. It's true, go back through, I'm going. There's so many things. There's so many things I've said to you that you can screenshot. I'm going to go back through the chats, basically all of our Instagram DMs, everything I've ever said to you put it in your you did so good folder it's basically just a Christy folder.

Anna-Lynn: 14:38

I think everybody needs you in their life. You know what it is. Find yourself a Christy.

Kristy: 14:43

If you need me to hype you up, I am so good for that.

Anna-Lynn: 14:46

You are the best type person, and I mean it. And I mean it too. It's true, it's not?

Kristy: 14:49

even patronizing. I believe in hyping up the people, the businesses, the people Exactly. I want everyone to feel hyped, exactly, always.

Anna-Lynn: 14:58

Unless you don't deserve it, right. But if somebody deserves it, if a business deserves it, I will be your biggest cheerleader, because I just I want everybody to succeed. So just give me a little reason to hype you up and I'm there and I think it's just the turnaround. And turning around and asking somebody to do that for us is when I start feeling a little bit like scared. It feels like you're being braggy.

Kristy: 15:28

You know what I mean.

Anna-Lynn: 15:29

It feels a little bit icky, it does.

Kristy: 15:31

But you have to do it.

Anna-Lynn: 15:32

But it's so important and also I think that comes from validating your own work. If you know you did a great job on something and you know the client was happy, go for it.

Kristy: 15:45

Like just ask yeah, they want reviews too. So I think they understand the value in it, right Yep.

Anna-Lynn: 15:51

I mean, any kind of feedback is important and valid, but getting those reviews, those Google reviews, so that other people can have a better understanding of what your agency does and how your agency can help them so your copywriter lady, let's help the people script out how they would ask for reviews.

Kristy: 16:14

What could they say?

Anna-Lynn: 16:16

well, just simply saying we have really enjoyed our collaboration. We love what you know. What came out of that collaboration?

Kristy: 16:30

Um, and just asking like on the spot I'm like what do you think about what I've asked?

Anna-Lynn: 16:38

I like what I said, I like how you asked it, because it was like, hey, if you have a second um, we really right If, if you were happy with what we did. Or don't even make it a question Like, tell us about what worked for you. Tell us about, like, don't create this question that maybe there's some parts of it that weren't right, it's possible. I mean, nothing is ever perfect, unless it's a job you did, unless it's a Christy job. But, um, but just framing it as we'd love to hear um a few words from you, if you have the time, of what? Um, some big yeah, if you have some feedback for us like, uh, what worked really well with our partnership? Um, things that you were really happy about that we did? Was there anything we implemented that was especially impactful for your business?

Kristy: 17:37

And then I think it's important highlighting that really helps our business.

Anna-Lynn: 17:42

Right right and saying you know this is a win-win for both sides. So yeah, I think you just have to not be afraid to ask for it, Not create any pressure when you are asking for it. Yeah, they don't have to do it and think about the timing of when you're asking for it, and if you keep all of those in mind, then you can slowly start building this bank of reviews that can be used to promote your own, your own business, because it depends on what business you're into.

Kristy: 18:18

Yeah, on how you would ask, but yeah, yeah, it's a long but making it easy for them to leave a review like a yeah like the way you do it.

Anna-Lynn: 18:27

You hyperlink it and um make it so they just have to click and then do it.

Kristy: 18:33

Yeah, so if anyone doesn't know how to do that, if you go to your own Google profile, there is a place somewhere in there that says how to share. If you go to your reviews, it's like share link somewhere in there and then you just copy your own Google review link and then you can just hyperlink it into emails or whatever it's super easy yeah, and again, it makes it very easy for them to just click on in and they can do it and they do it and it shows you're being mindful of their time too.

Anna-Lynn: 19:02

Everybody's busy and this is like an extra. It's like an extra thing, but it's also very necessary, so you have to make it feel like it's not extra well, yeah you think about psychology of how people work.

Kristy: 19:13

Like people are right if, if things are easier to do, people are more likely to do right.

Anna-Lynn: 19:18

It's just how it is just be nice and ask nice and make it easy.

Kristy: 19:24

Yeah simple, yeah, simple. What about product reviews? Are you a big product reviewer?

Anna-Lynn: 19:29

I am, I actually, and I'm a big person, for I'm not a big person, just cut that out. I'm a big person. Wow, anyway, off track. I really like to leave. If it's like praise for a business, it's a public review. If it's something not so great, I will privately message or contact the business and if they are really horrible about it and just defiant about like like they're just going to die on that hill.

Anna-Lynn: 20:13

We're terrible and we're embracing it. We don't care what your experience was. That's when I'll be like okay, I'm just going to share this with everybody then so they know what to expect. But I don't automatically take it to the public forum. You know right off, if I have a bad experience, A lot of times I'll reach out to the company privately first. But positive reviews, yeah, I'm all about it. I love it. I was actually a big Amazon reviewer. Like, I was big about leaving reviews on Amazon, but I try not to buy much from them anymore. That's another conversation.

Kristy: 20:50

I usually go through my product reviews in batches.

Anna-Lynn: 20:53

Like.

Kristy: 20:53

I'll just like spend like an hour. Like I said, it's my like de-stressing time. And I'll just like go through and review a bunch of things at once, rather than like I just bought something, so I review it. And I just bought something, I review it. I'll go back in history.

Anna-Lynn: 21:08

And I'm a huge fan of leaving reviews for small businesses. Yes, definitely Huge, especially if they because you know small business people are working twice as hard. They just do because they have to. And if they are just providing exceptional service, great service, great product, then I am just like I go, try to go above and beyond and leave happy mail everywhere for that.

Kristy: 21:39

Yeah, we are almost out of time, okay.

Anna-Lynn: 21:42

So we're going to have to wrap this up, which is sad.

Kristy: 21:44

I feel like we could just talk forever.

Anna-Lynn: 21:46

We should like. Can this just be what we do every day?

Kristy: 21:50

probably we need topics. If you have topics, give us your topics. Otherwise we're just gonna come up with it and you're gonna have to deal with it that can get scary. Oh, bill's gonna listen to this and just axe it, we're going to lose our funding. That's what it is funding.

Anna-Lynn: 22:13

It is. No one can stop us. It's true, no one can stop us. It's true.

Kristy: 22:17

But we will lose our funding. Don't make us lose our funding. Yeah.

Anna-Lynn: 22:23

Keep the topics coming and Bill will keep the Starbucks flowing. That's right. And then we can just keep doing this. That's right.

Kristy: 22:35

Thank you for being here, thank you for being you and thank you all for being here. We'll see you next time.