Why Do Cannabis Customer Reviews Matter?
And How to Get Them
I’ll never forget the first time I shopped at Publix Super Markets. I had just moved down to Florida from New York and didn’t know that the Publix standard is excellent customer service. It was raining cats and dogs, and I had just purchased quite a bit of groceries for the new house. As I was about to leave from the checkout area, a Publix employee approached me with an umbrella and asked if I needed help going out to my car. What I didn’t realize at the time, was that every time you checkout at Publix, the bagger is supposed to ask you if you want assistance out to your vehicle. But at that specific moment, I could use an umbrella as well as an extra set of hands. Those tiny details are the reason why they win my business every time.
But have I ever left a review for my Publix shopping experience? Actually, no. Most of the time, I, just like many others, don’t leave reviews unless I’ve had a bad experience, or a bad experience that turned around into a good one. What happens when your cannabis brand focuses on creating a stellar customer experience, but hardly ever receives reviews? How is your business going to gain brand awareness, insight and growth?
Why Do Cannabis Reviews Matter?
Outside of the aforementioned brand awareness, customer reviews can glean a huge amount of insight as to where your cannabis brand is falling short or rising above. Even bad reviews are a good thing because they give your brand crucial information as to where to make adjustments, a chance to communicate directly with your customers and provide an opportunity to make things right. How you respond to reviews says everything about your brand.
How to Encourage Customer Reviews
There is something to be said for asking for exactly what you want. Or in this case, the Call-to-Action. There is nothing wrong with asking your customers to leave reviews for your business, but how you do it and where you do it matters. In the cannabis industry, it may not be the most beneficial to ask your customers in person the moment they have made a purchase. Often, they would want to go home and try your products, see how it makes them feel. But since there may be a disconnect between their customer experience and the product(s) they purchased, learning how, where and when to ask for reviews is a great strategy towards leveraging customer feedback. Some great ways to encourage your customers to leave reviews include:
Automating emails asking them for feedback. Include direct links to where you want the reviews to be such as your website, Google, Yelp, social media, etc.
Train your staff to include it in their closing sales conversation. Asking repeat customers how they are liking one of your products versus others can be quite simple. Based on their answer and level of satisfaction, your staff would then be able to ask for a review online.
Send SMS messages if texting is part of your marketing strategy. You can always include a link to where you want the review to be.
Include review templates with newsletter emails.
Add a Call-to-Action in your social media posts or stories.
Feature existing reviews on social media and your website.
Offer incentives in the form of rewards, but be clear that you are not paying people to write their reviews. Buying reviews is unethical and can get you into hot water.
Reviews are extremely helpful, but one of the best ways to ensure that you are leveraging your reviews effectively requires a few more steps. Ensure that you aren’t just asking for reviews and then ignoring them. You can monitor your brand reputation by creating alerts or paying for a brand monitoring system. Additionally, make sure that you are actually listening to your customers, providing replies to their feedback and being genuine with your answers. Sometimes, customers just want you to hear them out and are seeking the eyes and ears of those who make business decisions. Other times, they may make great suggestions that require a staff meeting or a change in policy. Don’t just ignore those who take the time to review your cannabis brand. Take it as an opportunity to improve and develop deeper relationships with your customers.
