Over 14 million Brits have been saving for months to take advantage of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals due to be unveiled next weekend from the 24th – 27th November. Retail experts are predicting record sales in excess of £4.5bn as thrifty shoppers seek out bargains galore online.
For smaller, independent businesses, it’s tough competing with larger high street brands and their big marketing budgets, they need clear differentiators to secure the sale. Whether a business is purely online, on the high street, or using a combination of the two, online reviews are a powerful and efficient way to build trust and reputation and an essential sales and marketing strategy tactic.
Eooro was launched to help even the smallest business owners to differentiate and build their reputations, by simplifying the process of collecting online reviews and feedback. At £15 a month for a full service, it’s a helpful and affordable service for businesses that are already finding the economic conditions tough.
Independent retailer sees 70% new customer conversion rate & visitor uplift
Early adopters in the UK and Ireland, from industry sectors as diverse as flooring, accountancy and frozen foods, to professional chiropractors and opticians, have seen significant increases to new customer conversion rates.
One independent retailer and Eooro user, David Grady of The Wood Flooring Shop in South West London verified that good customer reviews are an essential part of his business strategy. The independent endorsements made by his existing customers through Eooro has given new customers greater confidence to buy from his company and led to a 70% increase in new customer conversion rates.
Five key features to look for from an online reviews provider
- ‘On The Spot’ Review Collection – using an app, which can be installed on multiple devices. This allows business owners and employees to collectively gather reviews when ‘face to face’ with customers.
- Social Media Posting – reviews can automatically be posted across multiple social networks, helping business owners boost social signals and promote reviews to existing followers. Platforms currently supported include Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Google+.
- Website Widgets – displays the 6 most recent customer reviews to increase customer conversion rates. Existing users have demonstrated the efficacy of this feature in increasing conversions as new customers prefer businesses with good reviews. Eooro can also be used by microbusinesses without a website, who trade using social media channels.
- Review Collector Email System – designed for businesses that don’t deal with customers face to face. Following a transaction or relevant customer interaction, the business owner can trigger an email requesting a review. The system also helps business owners track and monitor which customers have reviewed and any yet to respond.
- Cases – to investigate negative reviews and either expose comments as fakes, or resolve genuine customer complaints. A review is removed for 30 days whilst the issue is investigated – which eliminates the impact of internet trolls or fake reviews placed by competitors to deliberately damage reputation. By addressing genuine problems openly, business owners can demonstrate transparency and good customer service, which rebuilds trust and avoids further reputational damage. If a negative review is proved true and the situation remains unresolved, the review goes live again.
