From Feedback to Fame: The Ultimate Guide to Harnessing Customer Reviews for Small Business Success

5 min readSep 28

Let’s face it: the Internet has drastically changed the way that we shop for everything from sneakers to carry out.

In fact, most people now start their searches online. And oftentimes, this includes scouring through reviews that others have publicly posted.

No billboard, online ad, or marketing strategy has as much credibility as the word-of-mouth of someone who has purchased a product or service.

For brands, customers posting positive reviews are real-life celebrities and influencers with the power to make — or break — their businesses. They offer authentic insight that no marketing campaign could even come close to.

At the end of the day, however, asking customers to spread the word is one thing… leveraging them is a different ball game altogether.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to successfully cull reviews and use them to improve your brand presence, as well as what to do when the unthinkable happens and someone leaves you a less-than-stellar review.

How to Collect More Customer Reviews

Jay Baer notes, “It‘s good business to ask your customers to provide reviews, as long as it isn‘t too aggressive or a quid-pro-quo.”

That means finding ways to encourage people to post reviews voluntarily.

Here are a few strategic ways to start culling more reviews for your business:

Provide outstanding customer service, as well as a superb product or service. This in and of itself gives people a good reason to post a positive review.
Don’t be afraid to ask people for their feedback. If you provide them with a forum where they feel valued and that their voices will be heard, you will be amazed at how helpful many people will be.
Offer incentives on future purchases. Try things like a chance to win a prize or…