When you are trying to get customers to leave your business testimonials/reviews on your Google Places Page, website, Facebook, etc. what do you do? Do you ask them kindly to talk about the service you provided with them after completing a project or purchase? Or do you bribe them with a special offer or discount? Neither is a poor strategy, but one is certainly more valuable than the other.
When someone leaves you a testimonial because they were intrinsically motivated to, without any special offers or deals, it comes off as being more genuine. Someone liked your company or service so much that they wanted to tell others about it. This is extremely valuable to you because a satisfied customer will not only return to your business themselves, but also tell their friends about you. In a world filled with advertising every which way you look, people are generally more trusting of their friend’s opinions. Customer’s opinions about your business is more reliable than what you say about yourself.
What is the down side to someone leaving you a review because they were extrinsically motivated? Well, they sometimes come off as being fake or written by a robot. If you are struggling to get enough comments or reviews, then offering an incentive is not a bad thing. When you realize you do not have many people talking about your company, offering something small in order to receive testimonials might not be a bad idea.
Very rarely will someone just leave a testimonial without being asked. That is why you can ask them to talk about their experience to make them aware of the option to leave a review. Another way to accomplish this in a less obvious way is through satisfaction surveys. Keep in mind no matter how you ask, that reviews received without incentives come across as more sincere and genuine, which is more valuable to your company.