The Power of Positive Reviews
In this digital age, there is now a huge emphasis being placed on user reviews and they have become a huge part of fitness marketing. With major high profile review sites such as Google and Yelp just a click away, consumers are becoming more and more accustomed to checking online user reviews before making a purchase decision.
Data shows that 91% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, and 68% percent form an opinion after reading between one and six online reviews.
Yelp averages more than 178 million unique visitors every month, and a whopping 82% of consumers visit Yelp because they’re intending to make a purchase.
More often than not, reviews influence a consumer’s decision making and having a lack of reviews is almost as detrimental as having bad reviews. PLUS, not only will good online reviews help to convince people to join your gym, it helps you rank higher than your competition on local searches!
Another report states that Online reviews impact purchasing decisions for over 93% of consumers.
So how can your health club entice members to leave positive reviews that help improve your health club marketing?
Offer Incentives to Members that Leave Positive Reviews
Needless to say, the best way to motivate your members to do something is to give them something in return. Disgruntled members are much more motivated to leave bad reviews than happy or content members are to leave good reviews, so your health club will need to entice your happy members.
Why will happy members leave positive reviews?
Studies that monitor consumer behavior have identified the following experiences is what motivates a customer to leave a review
- They’ve been delighted
- They genuinely want to help others
- They feel passionate about the topic or product
- They are compensated or rewarded
What is the Power of Positive Reviews?
- A one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue
- Customers are willing to spend 31% more on a business with excellent reviews
- 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to purchase after reading a trusted review
Offer FREE Month for a Positive Review
One of the most successful strategies to enticing current members to leave a positive review on Google or Yelp is too offer them a free month added to their existing membership. This type of compensation has real value to the member, as you are now offering to give them something that they enjoy and that they already associate a high value too.
You can consider other rewards to entice members to leave positive reviews, such as a free personal training session or a free protein shake, but again, the power of offering the one-month free added as a reward is the fact that they already have a perceived value placed on their fitness membership. There are no barriers of unfamiliarity to bread down.
The one-month free reward program is also a great way for your staff to interact and build relationships with some of your health club’s most valued members. This is a win-win, because the member is getting something that makes them very happy, and your health club is getting something a very high value; a positive online review.
FREE Month Pass for a Friend or Family Member
Another great strategy to getting positive online reviews is to offer a free one-month pass to friends and family of current club members. This a win-win on a few levels.
- You make an existing member happy
- You create an opportunity to sell a new membership
- Your health club gets a positive review
Leverage your positive fitness reviews
The bottom line is that if your members are happy, you need to leverage this to help market your health club. It will make a substantial impact! Not only do need to solicit reviews from happy members, but you also need to incorporate these reviews into your fitness marketing. For example, if you are using Google search ads to advertise your club, then you can incorporate your positive Google reviews into those ads.
Now get out there and start getting some positive online reviews!!!
Fitness Online Reviews FAQ
Online reviews are becoming an increasingly important part of the consumer experience. Not only do they provide potential customers with a better understanding of a product or service, but they also offer businesses valuable insights into how they can improve. For consumers, reviews offer the chance to learn from other people’s experiences and gain more confidence in their purchasing decisions. For businesses, reviews can provide valuable feedback on customer service and product quality, helping them to identify areas for improvement. Reviews can also help to improve search engine rankings and increase visibility, as well as boost sales and customer loyalty. In short, online reviews can be a powerful tool for both businesses and consumers.
Getting online reviews is an important part of marketing any business, including a health club. Here are a few tips for getting more reviews:
- Ask your existing members to leave reviews on social media, review sites, and your website.
- Offer incentives, such as discounts or free trials, for members who write reviews.
- Respond to reviews in a timely manner, both positive and negative.
- Reach out to influencers or bloggers in the fitness community and ask them to write a review of your health club.
- Create a referral program to encourage members to refer their friends and family.
These are just a few ideas for getting more reviews for your health club. By taking the time to ask your members for feedback and responding to it, you can create an online presence that will draw in more customers.
Are online reviews trustworthy? The answer is both yes and no. On the one hand, there is a wealth of information available on the internet and reviews from past customers can be a great source of insight into a product or service. However, it is important to remember that not all reviews are reliable. Some may be biased, or even fake. It is important to look for signs that a review is not trustworthy, such as reviews that appear suspiciously often or reviews that contain overly enthusiastic language. It is also important to consider the source of the review and look for reviews from trusted sources, such as consumer advocacy websites. Ultimately, online reviews can be a great source of information, but it is important to take them with a grain of salt and look for signs that they may not be reliable.
When it comes to online reviews, it’s important to remember that not all reviews will be positive. It’s natural to feel frustrated when you receive a negative review, but responding thoughtfully and professionally can go a long way towards maintaining your reputation. Here are a few tips for responding to online reviews:
- Thank the reviewer for their feedback, even if it is negative.
- Apologize for any issues that the reviewer experienced.
- Offer a solution or a way to make up for the problem.
- Invite the reviewer to get in touch directly if they would like to discuss the issue further.
- Try to keep your response as positive as possible, even if the review is negative.
By responding professionally and courteously to online reviews, you will demonstrate to potential customers that you take customer service seriously and are willing to go the extra mile to address any issues.
