There’s no way around it–Google Reviews are essential to building your reputation online and helping you pull in more new clients and patients. Furthermore, your veterinary practice needs to have at least 40 reviews for pet owners to be convinced of your average star rating, according to this study. So, if you currently only have a handful of reviews on Google, you’ll want to bump those numbers up.
Below, we’ll share some valuable insights on how to get more Google Reviews from your clients. While you may not see results over night, these tried and true strategies should get you more quality reviews over time, and they’ll give your team more confidence about asking for reviews in general. Don’t be shy!
Ask When the Client is Checking Out After an Appointment
This is the most straightforward way to request a review, but it’s important to ask in the right way. First, ask your client their appointment went. Once you know they were satisfied with their experience, then you can segue into Google Reviews, letting the client know their feedback is highly valued and will be helpful for other pet parents who are looking for a vet.
If necessary, you can work with your team to draft a short script to ensure that your Google Review request flows easily in conversations with clients. The goal is to integrate your message in such a way that it makes perfect sense as a follow-up response to a client’s positive experience. You also want to be prepared to provide simple instructions in case the client needs a little help.
Request a Review at the End of a Follow-Up Call
Follow-up calls are another area of communication in which you can include a request for a Google Review. Be sure to ask your client how their pet is doing, if they were satisfied with their appointment, and if they have any questions about their pet’s treatment before asking for a review.
Add a Link to Your Google Reviews to Invoices & Emails
Do you communicate with your clients via email and/or regularly publish a practice newsletter? Including a Google Review request and link where it’s easy to see can also help you increase your client reviews. Invoices (be they digital or printed) can also include a link to your Google Reviews (with brief instructions, if needed). Just make sure the link and info aren’t buried on the page, but placed where the client is more likely to see them.
Request & Link to Google Reviews via Social Media
Whether you use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or all 3, you can utilize each of these platforms to encourage your clients to leave a review on Google. While Facebook has its own review system, you can persuade people to write a Google Review by featuring a recent Google Review in a Facebook post, briefly explaining how Google Reviews can reach (and benefit) more pet parents who are searching for a veterinarian, and linking directly to your Google Reviews page to make it easy.
If you have team members at your practice who are well-versed in social media, you can put them in charge of creating Google Review posts a couple times a month. Creativity is encouraged; display customer reviews on fun, colorful backdrops, and personalize the post copy for better engagement. Sharing positive reviews with your audience might encourage other happy pet owners to share their great experiences at your practice, and even tag friends or family as a way to refer them to your practice.
Need More Insight? We Have You Covered
InTouch has an entire guide dedicated to helping vet practices obtain more Google Reviews from their clients. Whether you need help with your messaging or presentation or just don’t know where to start, our expert team is here to help. To get a copy of our Google Reviews guide, call (800) 493-9003.