Building Trust Through Google Reviews

One of the challenges in business is to meet a potential customer for the first time and build trust. To satisfy them that you have integrity, can do what they need, and that any perceived risks in working with you have been suitably overcome for them to allow you to be part of their journey.

At XeroCon last week, we had the pleasure of listening to Rachel Botsman talk about trust in business. Rachel is best known as a leading researcher, writer and speaker (check out her TED talk on collaborative consumption) exploring how collaboration and trust in the digital age is changing how we live, work, and consume. In one example she discusses how much of a trust gap needs to be overcome for someone to allow a complete stranger to stay in their home, as is the case with AirBNB!

One of the observations she made in her talk was about how the digital age was changing how we build trust. She remarked that it's becoming easier to work with people we've never met, on the opposite sides of the globe, and that there are mechanisms that help us bridge that gap.

One simple way in which you can establish trust in your business is by publishing testimonials and asking for reviews on google and social media. Simple right? So why do we struggle so much asking for them? Is it simply that we prefer if people post them off their own bat, without it being solicited? Thing is - services like Uber and many others force you to provide a review of the person providing you with service. So why are we so hung up on asking for them for ourselves? Maybe the difference in leaving a review on Uber vs asking for one from a client is that Uber make the process so simple and easy that it's not even an issue.

Here, tell us what you think. Thanks. Done.

I remember how much of a chore it was the first time we ever asked a client to review us on google.

It went something like this -

Hi John, would you like to review us on google? Oh you would ok - let us bring up the page'. ...

This was followed by us googling ourselves trying to figure out where to find the link to leave a review. uh oh, how do you do it?' ...

The client tried on his phone and couldn't figure it out either. He was trying his best to be patient. We could see the star rating slowly decreasing before our eyes. ...

Eventually we found the link, only to realise we were logged in as us. Ok... sorry John, just log in as yourself here for a minute'. ...

If you were a fly on the wall - you'd have seen us slowly sinking into our seats with embarrassment at how difficult the process was. Negative reinforcement right there. Asking for reviews is too hard'

Here is the simplest way to ask for a review on google

A single link that pops up with the review dialog straight away. Quick and painless, and no embarrassing moments digging around trying to find your page. Something you can email, or bookmark in your boardroom browser. All it takes is 5 minutes, and a little exploration of Google's developer section.

Visit the Google Developers page
Type your business name into the Place ID finder, and copy the Place ID that is returned
Add your place ID to the end of this URL - http://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOURPLACEID
If you paste the link into your browser, you'll see that it takes you to a google search of your company with the rate and review popped up on screen ...
The link also works using google shortener - giving you a simple link that will look like this - https://goo.gl/StBorD

BOOM. Done

There you have it. Now you can make leaving a review as easy as sending someone a link. Simple, right? And if you enjoyed what i've written today, feel free to leave me a review. It's really quick ;)