Did you know: Your loyal customer base may be your best lead-generating tool to help tell your brand story, attract new customers and sell more products. Why?

88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family. (Big Commerce)

91% occasionally or regularly check online reviews before making a purchase.

Moral of the story: Ask for online reviews to pepper throughout your marketing materials and website. Here are seven smart ways to get ‘em:

1. Use surveys to ask loyal customers about their experience, from why they chose you to how satisfied they are and if they’ve gotten the results they expected.
2. Create a landing page with a form on your website where these survey questions are housed and direct customers there to answer them. 
3. Use your account reps to gather testimonials as they’re out and about talking to customers, especially from the most satisfied ones. 
4. After a job is complete, send an email to each customer asking for a testimonial or review—direct them to a landing page where they can easily submit one. (The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to do it.)
5. Put a request on social. Wherever you engage with your customers (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), ask them to submit reviews and testimonials—you can send them to the same landing page we just mentioned.
6. Offer an incentive as a thank-you. “Submit a review and get a promo code for 5% off your next project.”
7. List your company’s info on Google My Business where consumers can leave reviews—64% of consumers say they are likely to check reviews on Google before visiting a business, more than any other review site.

Once you’ve got some great reviews in hand, where are the best places to put them? We recommend starting with these three.

Add a spotlight on your homepage with an image of the work you did for a customer along with a positive review. (Always make sure to get permission from your customer prior to displaying their work.)

Feature them on social. Showcase your work along with a customer testimonial on your social media platforms.

Strategically place them on product pages. Add a testimonial to each of your product pages that you want to highlight as one of your areas of expertise.

Testimonials carry a lot of weight and wield a lot of power—don’t hide them. Connect with a client success consultant to help you showcase those positive words when you email support@firespring.com today.