"How did it taste?" Of course it's great to hear that everything was to your liking, but a review often gives even more insights and you can share the reviews on all your channels. All those excellent reviews also help bring in new guests!
But how do you get testimonials and how can you make sure you don't just get 'cosy, tasty or good' as a response? What steps can you take to entice your guests to leave a review? We would like to help you on your way, read along!
Benefits of a review or testimonial
Adding a review is one of the most impactful strategies for your business and website. And when written well, they help you across the board. As many Consumers' 66% say they feel more confident after reading a review. And there are an awful lot of ways to share your feedback. Some of our favourite examples are: written reviews on your website, ratings (e.g. a 5-star testimonial, 10/10, third-party reviews such as Yelp, Tripadvisor, The Fork and Google Reviews), recommendations via social media etc.
How can you collect reviews?
There are several ways to receive written reviews from your guests. For instance, you can launch guest satisfaction surveys, ask people to share a review on social media or fill in a questionnaire. And on paper, it seems relatively simple: you create a questionnaire and ask for a review. But in practice, asking for reviews can be quite a challenge. Will they say yes? What if they say no? What if they don't like my business at all? What am I going to ask my guests? Besides, consumers are often motivated to write a review if they receive a reward. Perhaps you can give them a surprise after completing a questionnaire, or give them a discount on their next visit.
Examples of reviews
What distinguishes good reviews from rave reviews has to do with three things:
- Your authority: what shows that you are a credible and trustworthy professional?
- Unique: What about the way you work and what makes your business unique?
- Transformation: what experience are you giving to your guests?
A good example of a testimonial is: ⭐"The food in the restaurant was tasty and affordable".
An example of an excellent review: 💫 "From the moment we entered the restaurant, we knew we were in the right place. We were welcomed with open arms and when booking, the staff had noted that it was my wife's birthday. The champagne was already waiting for us! We had a delicious meal and from our table we had a magnificent view over the water. After dinner, we were satisfied and had celebrated her birthday in a unique way".
As you can see, there is more storyline in the latest testimonial and future guests can read, but also imagine, why the stay was so unique at this restaurant.
What questions can you ask for an excellent review
Let's look at the exact questions you can ask for a 5-star testimonial. The answer lies in asking specific questions that lead to a specific answer. Think about what questions work best for you that relate to authority, unity factor, transformation and growth.
🌟 How did you make the choice to book with us?
🌟 Was there anything in particular that made an impact?
🌟 What should people know about our company?
🌟How can we improve our offering and customer processes?
🌟 What makes our restaurant special or unique?
🌟 Why should other people book with us?
🌟 May I share your feedback on my website (and/or social media) with your name/company?
To these questions, your gsats can answer more specifically and a review is brought to life!
Have you been inspired and want to receive more reviews from your guests? Then we can give you a hand! Our team is ready to help you get more great reviews for your establishment. You can reach us by sending an e-mail to contact@thefullybookers.com or by calling +31 (0)85 048 80 58.
