text: According to Fan & Fuel (2016), 94% of online customers read reviews before making any purchasing decisions. For information about specific products, Spiegel Research Centre (2017) shows that 95% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase.
  Reviews not only have the power to influence consumer decisions but can boost a company’s credibility. Reviews have the power to trap customer trust and encourage people to interact with a company. Customer interaction ultimately leads to improved profits for businesses.
  In the U.S., 68% of people that shop online are more likely to engage with businesses that have positive reviews (BrightLocal 2017), and 93% determine whether a business has a good reputation (or not) based upon the available reviews. In 2016, Fan & Fuel reported that 92% of consumers hesitated to make a purchase if there were no customer reviews, and a full 97% say customer reviews factor into their buying decisions.
  If you’re starting to get overwhelmed by how vital the role customer reviews are then it might also interest you to find that products with reviews are 270% more likely to be bought than a product without, according to Speigel Research Centre (2017). For products that are higher priced, there’s evidence that this chance increases to 380%.
  Beyond transactional engagements, review leave room for businesses and customers to build a relationship. Establishing an emotional connection with customers is shown to provide 23% more revenue than with a non-engaged customer. The impact of the customer-business bond is reiterated by Gallup Research.
  After-sales customer engagement establishes trust and, as reported by BrightLocal, positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more. A whopping 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Reviews are undeniably an established and growing method of customer engagement.
  As the owner of a small business, to be successful, your customers must always be your top priority. This means listening to them and prioritizing their needs. Here are a few tips to do that
  Make it easy for customers to review your products: Allow for them to add reviews on your product page and perhaps anywhere else.
  Let them know you hear them: Customers like to be acknowledged. Whether it’s a positive or negative review, endeavor to always respond. This signals that you put your customers first.
  Take Customer Reviews One Step Further: Most businesses value their customers because, without them, there would be no business. Getting customers to leave reviews and sharing positive ones for the world to see can be a rewarding accomplishment. If you do this regularly for your business, then you’re doing great, but you can do more.
  What better way is there to foster a healthy relationship with a customer who has had a pleasant experience with your business other than rewarding them?
  Discounts and coupons came in as the top-ranking tactic for driving loyalty with 61% of consumers saying they use them (Expedia Affiliate Network)
  The main reasons people participate in loyalty programs include: receive discounts/offers (43%), earn free products (27%), access to exclusive rewards (10%), and members-only benefits (9%) (ApNews)
  55% of consumers said the dominant loyalty factor was product quality and 25% said great sales/deals (Yotpo)