When to ask a Client for a Review or Testimonial

by Danielle Andrews, President of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Inc.

I will admit it, I am terrible at asking clients for a review or testimonial. I never want to feel like I am imposing on them. But, the reality is that the wedding industry is built on referrals and word of mouth. Reviews are very important to wedding professionals.

Timing is Everything

Timing is everything, especially when asking for client reviews and testimonials.

Knowing how and when to ask clients to review your business will help it rank higher in search results, generate more feedback, and improve its online reputation.

According to research.com, having 50 or more reviews boosts your search rank by 50% and it improves your click-through rate by 266%, compared to companies with no reviews.

Do you know that most of the customers who have had a positive experience with a brand don’t share their experience publicly? These are the “silent advocates” because they feel good about a brand and its products, but they don’t spread the word – nor do they write online reviews about the company.

Unfortunately for brands, customers who have negative experiences are more likely to share their experiences and leave online reviews. This is a huge issue for many businesses, but luckily you can remedy this by asking every client to leave a review. 77% of clients are ready to leave a review if asked.

Optimizing Review Collection Conversion

The most important factors to consider when asking your clients to review you are timing and the review journey – both significantly affect the conversion rate.

Most businesses make the mistake of inviting clients to leave reviews too early. Clients are actually more likely to leave a review when they’re in an informed position.

The right time to ask for reviews varies from business to business. Obviously, for most wedding professionals, it is after the wedding is completed.

When asking for a review, make sure that you make the journey easy for them! Include links to your Review Pages, so there it is as easy and effortless as possible.

The Best Time to Ask Clients to Leave Reviews

As mentioned, no two businesses are the same. So the best time to ask for client reviews varies.

However, the core of the best timing is to ask for reviews when the client is happy, impressed, contented, surprised, or delighted enough to say something great about your brand.   

Here are the five best times when your clients are feeling positive enough that you can ask them to review your business!

When They Tell You about a Great Experience

Usually, it’s only a few clients who share with you a positive experience they’ve had with your brand, compared to those who are likely to leave a review if they had a negative experience.

So, if a client reaches out to you with a positive comment or Thank You; this is a goldmine. That client has made some “effort.”

Thus, if a customer emails with a positive comment about their shopping experience, don’t just leave a “thank you” response. Ask them politely if they’d mind leaving an honest review.

The chance of getting a positive response at this point is much higher than sending mass emails to your customers.

When They Tag You on Social Media

Today, most consumers are using social media to get their issues addressed quickly.

If you handle client queries on social media, you can use that opportunity to ask them to review you. For instance, if a client tags your brand or your products on social media, use that opportunity to pitch for a review.

Also, post regularly; maybe once a month, ask your followers to leave some feedback. This will help you get real client feedback which will help your brand. Plus, you’ll get great, positive reviews that you can display on your website.

At The Wedding (Video Testimonial)

If your couple comes up to you at the wedding telling you how amazing everything is, ask them if you could get them on video. There is nothing like hearing a happy couple, in their wedding outfits, at their wedding, talking about the great experience they have had with you.

It only takes a couple of minutes and is absolute gold for you. You can use that video on TikTok, Instagram, your website, everywhere!

After The Wedding

When someone makes a purchase, they go through a psychological process where they need to justify what they bought. They need to feel that they’ve made the right choice.

So, if you reach out to your clients immediately after their wedding, they should still be on a high from the day, and you’re more likely to get a positive review.

It may seem odd to ask for reviews immediately after the clients’ wedding, but the client is more likely to share their experience if you do. Also, the clients will give their reviews more enthusiastically because they’re near the peak of their satisfaction, which is within a week of their wedding.

When They Send You a Thank You Note

If you have not received a review from your clients, but receive a Thank You note or card from them, this a perfect time to ask for a review. Acknowledge their Thank You note and tell them how much it means to you, then ask if they wouldn’t mind writing an online review for you as well. Make it easy for them and include the links to your Google, Wedding Wire, The Know, or your Preferred Reviews page.

Final Thoughts

It’s time to put your ideas into action. Test which of the five times fits your brand best.

Once you find the best time to ask your clients for reviews, don’t stop there! Publish those reviews on your website, social media, on your shop, and product listings.