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Local PR: Customer Reviews & Reputation Management (Local Marketing Series)

Local PR: Customer Reviews & Reputation Management (Local Marketing Series)

Securing your first customer is half the battle. Keeping them (and attracting new ones) isn't so simple. But reviews are a good place to start!

LJ Barnum & Fahad
February 28, 2025

Hi there, friend. Hope this was a 5-star week for you! (Or at least a 4-star week?)

How would you choose between two businesses that do the same thing, cost the same, and are equally convenient to provide the service to you?

One has a 4.6 star rating and 200 reviews…

… the other has none.

Who are you picking?

(The one with the reviews, obviously.)

When customers are faced with two choices that seem pretty similar, they always tune in to your review section.

More importantly to us (and our bottom line), people looking into reviews are about to purchase or commit to hiring you for the long term.

How are we doing?

Do you like the content we are creating? Do you find it helpful? Once you’ve voted, please feel free to leave us any comments or suggestions on the next page.

Reputation: The Basics

What makes a strong review?

First and foremost, the best reviews exist.

It might seem like a “no sh*t” moment, but if a customer only leaves you a five star and doesn’t rant and rave about how awesome you are, but still reviews…

…is just as good as somebody that does rant and rave about you.

Even better is if it has a positive sentiment in the review text.

(Yes, a five-star review is still a positive sentiment.)

Greater still if it has a star rating over four.

And the best reviews?

The best reviews are replied to by you.

Acknowledging the feedback has been seen and addressed (replying is sufficient most of the time), so your client knows you appreciate their time.

What makes a bad review?

Bad reviews have a negative sentiment. It’s as easy as that.

In the reputation and publicity circles, three stars or an average review is considered negative.

Similarly, if somebody rates five stars, but continues to b*tch in their review, we would count that as a negative sentiment.

Handling negative sentiment reviews is as simple and easy as handling positive ones. Reply to the client and resolve as many concerns as you can.

We don’t want to cave just because somebody’s upset with how something turned out if there’s nothing that we could control about it.

(But in the same sense, it’s nice to be heard.)

How to get reviews

Getting reviews is as simple as asking for them.

The issue is that most people don’t ask in the right way or an effective manner.

The option to review should always be presented, but it shouldn’t be all in your face.

Adding a scannable QR code, listing your sites for reviews on your business card, and emailing your past clients are easy ways to get reviews.

It’s also a good idea to add your reviews to your website via a reviews widget.

Why use a review widget?

Your newest reviews will always show up, and in most cases, you can filter out which reviews you want to display on your website based on certain conditions, such as star rating, comments included, etc.

Social media reviews tend to attract a lot of spam but are still a good thing to leave active.

A better idea is to share your review page on a biweekly basis so that people who have engaged with your business but haven’t left a review can have that reminder.

This Week’s Campaigns

Retail/E-Commerce

Community Involvement

We’re more than just shopping. Share your support for local charities or community events, demonstrating your commitment to giving back. If you support larger causes, it’s nice to highlight those too (shout out climate change)!

Real Estate

Homebuying FAQs

Walk potential clients through what it’s like to step into your house. Answer frequently asked questions about the home-buying process, providing clarity and guidance for first-time buyers. This is also a great place for a collab piece with your vendors!

Therapy

Mindfulness in Daily Life

Life is getting more and more stressful by the day. Demonstrate simple ways to incorporate mindfulness practices into everyday routines, promoting present-moment awareness and reducing stress.

Reviews aren’t supposed to be complicated, they’re supposed to be an easy win.

If you need help setting up your reviews page or replying to a review, reply to this email anytime.

We’ll see you next week!

Fahad and LJ

Photo by Pauline Loroy on Unsplash