Referrals and positive reviews are very important for growing your business. When satisfied customers recommend your services and/or leave good reviews, it builds trust with potential customers.
One of the most effective ways to ask for referrals and reviews is through text messaging. Because texting lets you communicate immediately and personally, making it easier for customers to respond and take action.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use text messaging to increase referrals and reviews effectively.
Why Text Messaging Works
Text messaging is one of the fastest and most personal ways to communicate. Unlike emails or phone calls, 95% of text messages are read and responded to within just 3 minutes of being received!
This immediacy lets you connect with customers at the right moment, making sure they don’t forget their positive experiences with your business. The personableness of a text message makes customers feel valued, increasing the chances they will take action.
Steps to Get Referrals
Ask at the Right Moment
Timing is key. Reach out soon after a positive interaction, like completing a service or making a sale. If a customer shares with you that they are happy with the service you provided, follow up shortly after and ask for a referral.
Be careful about when you send follow up texts though. Avoid reaching out too early or too late. A good rule of thumb is to stick to regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but of course, you can adjust message times depending on your services and what your customers prefer.
Related: When is The Best Time to Send a Marketing Text Message to Make Sure it Gets Seen?
Personalize Your Messages
Personalized messages feel more genuine and are more likely to get a response. To easily personalize your message, use the customer’s name and mention specific details about their experience.
For example, you might say, “Hi [First Name], we’re so glad you were happy with [Specific Service]! If you know anyone else who might be interested, we’d appreciate your referral.”
Make It Easy to Refer
Simplify the referral process for your customers. Give them a direct link to your website or a pre-written message they can easily share with friends. The less effort they have to put in, the more likely they are to refer someone.
Offer Incentives
Consider rewarding successful referrals with a discount on their next purchase, a free product, or entry into a giveaway.
For example, you might say, “Hi [First Name], it’s [Your First Name] from [Company Name]. We’re offering (insert incentive) when you refer someone this month. All you need to do is (explain action customer must take) and whoever you refer will also get (explain incentive for referral).
Thank Them
Always follow up with a thank you when someone makes a referral. A simple text saying, “Thanks so much for referring [Friend’s First Name]! We appreciate your support,” helps build strong relationships and encourages more referrals in the future.
Steps to Collect Reviews
Direct Them to the Right Site
Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by directing them to the right site. Depending on your business, this might include Google Reviews, Yelp, or other review platforms.
Here’s an example of what you can say, “Hi, [First Name!] It’s [Your First Name] from [Company Name]. Our whole team appreciates your support as a customer. 😄 Would you be willing to leave a review on Google? Here’s the link to our business page (Google biz page URL)”
Be Specific
Guide customers on what to mention in their reviews. Encourage them to highlight particular aspects of their experience, like excellent service or product features they enjoyed.
For example, you might say, “When you leave a review, if you could mention what service you had completed, that would be great!”
Simplify the Process
Provide a straightforward way for customers to leave reviews. As mentioned above, include a direct link or step-by-step instructions in your text message. For example, “To leave a review, click this link [insert link] and let us know how we did!”
Timing for Review Requests
Timing also matters when asking for reviews. Again, aim to send your request shortly after a positive interaction, such as after delivery of a product or completion of a service. This increases the likelihood of customers feeling inspired to write a review while the experience is still fresh.
Automate Your Referral and Review Process with Skipio
Starting and automating the review or referral request process is as simple as setting up a messaging campaign in Skipio. Build out a short series of messages asking for a review and feedback — complete with follow-up messages because just one message usually doesn’t cut it.
Then, add customers to the campaign and let Skipio do its thing.
Curious to see exactly how Skipio makes the referral and review process easy? Schedule a quick demo!
