I've touched on reviews in previous posts, but I wanted to talk about how the use of reviews can help your wedding business. As a small business owner myself, I know that every bit helps when it comes to marketing and getting our name out there. Unless you're an actual celebrity, reviews are pretty much the most effective marketing tool you can have. The tricky thing is how to get reviews for your wedding business without being pushy or annoying.

Decide what reviews matter to you

The first step is deciding what reviews matter to you and where they will be placed. You can put reviews on Google Business, Yelp, Wedding Wire, Facebook… honestly anywhere that will allow you to publish a review.

Ask for reviews through email and your website

The best way to ask for reviews is by emailing everyone who has worked with you or every client who has hired you. You can also post a request on your wedding website or create something in your CRM that will automatically send out emails at key points, such as after their wedding day.

Offer a review incentive

If you're feeling extra generous, offer a small incentive for reviews, such as a discount on their next order or free shipping from your online store if they leave a 5-star review. Just make sure that everyone knows what the criteria is for getting this bonus and that it's only available to those who leave you a 5-star review.

How to use reviews in your wedding business marketing

Once you've got your reviews, that's when the real fun starts! You can use these great pieces of feedback that your customers have given you to attract new couples. You can share your reviews on social media without looking like you're bragging. Then when couples come to see what you're all about, they'll discover the amazing feedback that people have given you. Add them to your Instagram Stories and Highlights, or even share them as a feed post.

Post quotes from your reviews on your blog

You can also post quotes from your reviews on your blog or website, adding a direct quote from the couple talking about how amazing you are. Or if they mentioned something specific that you're proud of, such as how great your customer service was, add that to a header or graphic.

Put the most eloquent reviews on your website and/or about page

You can also put the most eloquent reviews on your website or about page. Often, these are the ones that show exactly what it is that you do and why clients love working with you. You can use quotes from these reviews in your marketing materials as well, such as emails to new couples or direct mail pieces.

Put them all over social media!

Another great way to use your reviews for wedding business marketing is by posting them all over social media. You can post a testimonial image with one quote or photo per day on Instagram Stories, Facebook Business Page, Pinterest… anywhere where it makes sense! Use the images in all of your marketing materials… they're fantastic content.

The best ways to respond when a client has given you a negative review (or an unfair one)

Unfortunately, not everyone is going to leave you a 5-star review. I know it's hard when you work so hard on every wedding and each client has your undivided attention… it can be difficult to see anything less than glowing reviews.

That's why it's important to plan what you're going to do if you get a negative review, even if that seems like an impossibility at the time. If something goes wrong with a wedding order or there was some miscommunication or misunderstanding about services… how will you handle this? Here are some tips for responding to negative reviews:

Don't panic

Take a deep breath and don't respond right away. When we get bad news (especially unexpected news), we tend to overreact and when you overreact to something negative, it's almost always worse than if you take a step back to respond rationally.

Do your research

If the review is about the order itself (a typo, late shipping, missing pieces), find out what happened by speaking with your client directly. When you talk to them, ask them how they'd like you to resolve the situation before responding publicly or changing anything. After all, this isn't public knowledge… only the one person knows what truly happened and it's your responsibility as a business owner to do due diligence in getting information both ways before making any decisions that can affect other couples who are considering hiring you.

The importance of being transparent with your customers

Be transparent about what is expected from them before, during, and after their appointment with you so that there are no surprises or disappointments later on down the line. Don't ever assume that your clients know what's expected of them. Make sure you tell them!

Once you've talked to the client and figured out exactly what happened, you can then respond professionally to the review whether it be publicly or directly through contact with the reviewer. A little grace goes a long way with online reviews.

Reviews are important for wedding businesses

If you're just starting out in your business, every review is critical because wedding business owners rely on word-of-mouth (or they should). There are lots of great ways to get more reviews… make sure they're all positive by delivering amazing customer service every single time you work with a couple.