We all know that client reviews are important to our businesses. We want to be able to have social proof to sprinkle throughout our websites and to share with future clients to grab their attention and help them to understand WHY they should work with us. 

When it comes down to getting more reviews while yes, it’s related to having a good client experience BUT more importantly it comes down to the process of how you collect the reviews. 

Today I’m sharing my top 4 tips for how to get more client reviews! 

1. Follow Up Email 

One week after they get their gallery back from their session or wedding I send a follow up email to ask for a review. This allows them enough time to go through their images, rave about them with friends and family and to really digest what you’ve given to them. After they’ve had time to really enjoy and experience the emotions of their session or wedding all over again they are going to be primed for writing you a heart felt review.

2. What I typically like to ask

Why getting a review is beneficial for future clients and for my business. I want to make sure when I send an email I want to explain why this review is so helpful I usually say something like this: 

“Hey {insert name} I hope you’ve enjoyed looking through all your photos I sent over last week! I’d love to collect more reviews for my business, and as you know through the wedding planning process reviews help you to make big decisions on who you can rely on the most. Sharing reviews allows my future clients to learn more about what an experience with me is like” 

Reminding them why reviews were important to them as they planned helps them to realize the benefit of their review to both your business and to your future clients. Without this step of adding in a reminder that relates to them they may not fully understand the impact a review has for your business.

3. Give an incentive… 

A lot of times when you send a client an email they put it on the back burner. But we want them to open the email and TAKE ACTION. 

One thing that I’ve found helpful is adding a fun subject line like ‘Coffee in exchange for Review’ and telling them in the email that you send a Starbucks gift card to all clients who submit their review. Something in return to incentivize them to take action right away. 

Getting 5 reviews that are raving is totally worth $25 bucks in Starbucks. 

Or you could also try an offer link this: any client who automatically leaves a review after a mini session gets 10 prints for free. 

Now, I don’t recommend sending this email to the masses, but if there are specific people you know who will write a great review I highly recommend giving the incentive a try! 

4. Give Them a Template

Giving your client a template simplifies the process for them and helps them to take action right away. It’s a broad question when you just ask for  a review. Often, they want to make sure it’s as impactful as possible. Many of my brides have taken weeks because they wanted it to be meaningful. 

What we want is quick action so those reviews can speak to our future clients.

Here is what I do, I send a template to help them structure their review. 

I say something along the lines of this…

“Hey in case you’re stuck here are some talking points (x,y,z) you can hit on. Here are some things that are really helpful for my future clients to read from my past clients.”

Okay, so you received the reviews… NOW WHAT?

How to use reviews 

Here are a few tips on how to use the reviews one you have them.

1. Take a strong 1 liner out of a review and use it strategically on your website. For example on my brides page I have a review from a client who had booked another photographer but backed out of her contract to book with me. This means this bride lost her deposit just so she could come work with me. Taking that 1 liner and putting it where brides are going to see it speaks volumes! 

2. Take your reviews and put them in Instagram, captions & stories

3. Take reviews, use them at the bottom of blog posts. Blog your clients wedding or session and put their direct review below. It wraps everything up into a bow. It helps people make a connection to the experience and attracts them to working with you! 

Lastly, remember to ask people to leave a review in one specific spot. Let’s say you have them in multiple spots like The Know, Wedding Wire, Facebook, etc. when you ask your clients to go to different places it becomes an overwhelming process. You really want to streamline this for them. 

For me, I would send people to my wedding wire account so they were all there in one spot. I then take the reviews and spread them out to where I want them to be used. 

The great thing about having it in one spot, I can just send future clients one link to see all reviews. 

It’s a simple, streamlined, 2 step process: 

1. Write a review using the template
2. Copy, paste, publish in ONE SPOT. 

EASY! 

I’d love to hear how these tips work for you, or if you have other tips you use! Drop a comment below to share!