You may just look at a page and see a number of stars. However, what you need to realize is that for each additional star that you get on your page it adds about 9% improvement in your business. That is everything from the number of people that show up in your store to the amount of money they spend. Think about that for just a second. We are pretty sure that you can do with an extra 9%.

No matter if you are the local coffee shop, a local mechanic, or a bowling alley, the majority of your business is coming from your Yelp page. The reason for this is that people are looking for an alternative to big-box chains. They want to get a great cup of coffee but don’t want to get it from Starbucks or Tim Horton’s. They want to get their car fixed, but they don’t want to get it from Canadian Tire or Mr. Lube. They are looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night and check Yelp for great places to go. There are many reasons that people end up on Yelp and you need to be there too. We are sure that you have invested a fair amount of time into setting yourself apart on your Yelp page. You are going to have to take it a few steps further if you want those extra stars.

In the blog below, we are going to share a number of ways that you can do just that. Most of them will not take any additional money from your marketing fund. Others will take up a little bit of your time. Just think of the end game when you are taking these steps – 9% extra business.

Encourage Customer Reviews

We would say that you only need to encourage positive customer reviews, but even negative reviews can help your business. It is strange to think of it that way but let us explain. While you may be worried about negative reviews, it will give you the opportunity to make your business that much better. Every review is equally beneficial to your business. If you do get a negative review, look at our post on how to deal with them. However, we are going to provide you with some ways to get more positive reviews.

Make sure that when you are doing other forms of social media that you are linking to your Yelp page. This will allow your customers another way to interact with you. They understand that you cannot be on all the platforms at once. This will give them a chance to catch you on one of them. Additionally, it will give you the chance to showcase your awesome reviews. More and more people are checking review sites before making a purchase. Instead of them having to hunt around for it, provide it to them.

Another thing you can do is make sure that your storefront has a window cling in it. If you are not one of the lucky recipients of “People Love Us on Yelp,” you can request a “Find Us on Yelp” sticker. This will remind people that they can go to Yelp to leave you a review. If you get a high enough rating, you will be one of two waves of “People Love Us on Yelp” stickers. The more positive reviews, the better. So, make sure you are always putting your best foot forward for your customers.

Yet another thing that you can do is to share your positive reviews on other social media platforms. It is not very often that a person will take the time to formulate a well thought out review of your business. When they do, it is time to capitalize on it. It will also give other people the idea that they should share their experience as well. Generally speaking, when people see a review similar to their experience, they are enticed to writing a review as well. Sharing positive reviews with your other social media platform will encourage more positive reviews. Sure, you may get some negative reviews, but it will give you a chance to grow as a company. Take the time to share those well-thought-out reviews and you will be swimming in great reviews.

Last, but certainly not least, make sure that you are responding to positive reviews. So many times, companies focus on responding to only the negative reviews. While we do agree that you should be responding to those as well, it is just as important to respond to positive reviews. Make sure that your customer knows that you appreciate the time that they took to write that review. They are doing it for free. This is something that every business wants – brand ambassadors. When you have someone that is taking their valuable time to say good things about you, the favour should be returned. Think of it this way, you need to let your customers know that you are interested in communicating with them. They don’t want to think that the only way to get your attention is to write a bad review. On a final note for this matter, make sure that you are not copying and pasting responses. People can see this and will be less inclined to leave you any review. It gives the impression that you are not really interested in what anyone has to say. We know you have seen pages like that. Don’t be one of them.

Conclusion

And there you have it. If you really want to make sure that you are getting your name out there on Yelp, all you have to do is follow the above steps. We told you that you would not have to spend a lot of time or money. Remember, it is the little steps in business that can make all the difference in the world. Don’t think of it as doing it for that one extra star, think of it as making your business the best it can possibly be.