Incentivized ORM through company Facebook page?

[macdonjo3]

So I manage a Facebook page for a company, with over 1000 likes from customers. I am also going to do some basic ORM for them to get some reviews on Yelp and Google Maps/Plus.

Here are 2 incentive possibilities:
Giveaway A: I have a service that costs nothing to the business to provide (except 10 minutes man power), and the business charges $22.60.
Giveaway B: The business owner also has season tickets to a local pro sports team, and a pair of tickets are worth $200-$500. These are normally given away to the top-top customers.

I want to get some 5 star reviews up, what is the best way to structure the incentives? Everyone who leaves a review could get a free coupon (giveaway A) or choose to opt into a draw to win Giveaway B? Or both?
Is it safe to post giveaway incentives on a Facebook page? I think I could upload an image picturing the prizes and big words "FREE", send them to the landing page funnel in the description.

 

[CCarter]

Just make sure Yelp doesn't find out about your incentivized reviews:

http://sproutsocial.com/insights/yelp-fake-reviews/

http://officialblog.yelp.com/2013/0...ing-you-know-before-you-spend-your-dough.html

 

[macdonjo3]

Just make sure Yelp doesn't find out about your incentivized reviews:

http://sproutsocial.com/insights/yelp-fake-reviews/

http://officialblog.yelp.com/2013/0...ing-you-know-before-you-spend-your-dough.html

Yeah, thousands of high ticket customers recurring yearly, meanwhile 0-2 reviews on most networks. The customers have nothing to say lol

 

[sbndnb]

Something I've done before is create a post like the following:
"Help us improve our services. Share your experience at http://reviewfunnel and win X prize!"
<< Photo of prizes >>

One thing to keep in mind is you're managing the facebook page of someone elses business so make sure you don't violate the fb TOS. Personally I make sure the rules of the contest are clearly stated at the bottom of the landing page (or in a linked page) but I have never gotten a warning/message for not specifically posting "this contest is in no way sponsored by facebook" Here's an excerpt of the TOS found at https://www.facebook.com/page_guidelines.php:

 E.    [B]Promotions[/B]
  1. If you use Facebook to communicate or administer a promotion (ex: a  contest or sweepstakes), you are responsible for the lawful operation of  that promotion, including:
 a.   The official rules;
 b.   Offer terms and eligibility requirements (ex: age and residency restrictions); and
  c.   Compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing the  promotion and all prizes offered (ex: registration and obtaining  necessary regulatory approvals)
 2. Promotions on Facebook must include the following: 
 a.   A complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant.
 b.   Acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.
  3. Promotions may be administered on Pages or within apps on Facebook.  Personal Timelines must not be used to administer promotions (ex: "share  on your Timeline to enter" or "share on your friend's Timeline to get  additional entries" is not permitted).
  4. We will not assist you in the administration of your promotion, and  you agree that if you use our service to administer your promotion, you  do so at your own risk

 

[BHopkins]

I have done something like this for a couple of customers. I usually suggest targeting existing customers through their mailing list, walk-ins, phone calls or something like that. You don't want people who are not from their geographic area entering your contest or trying to get a freebie.

 

[macdonjo3]

I have done something like this for a couple of customers. I usually suggest targeting existing customers through their mailing list, walk-ins, phone calls or something like that. You don't want people who are not from their geographic area entering your contest or trying to get a freebie.

So approaching it digitally is probably not as good as a print/physical card when the customer walks into the business?

 

[BHopkins]

So approaching it digitally is probably not as good as a print/physical card when the customer walks into the business?

That would be my suggestion. If this is a long term approach I would put the offer on the back of their business cards and have them reprinted. If they're using the back of their business card (most doctors have an appointment reminder section on the back already) you can print postcards and direct mail or hand them out in the office.

The nice thing about this approach is that you can set up your site and direct the reviews anywhere you need them to go at that time.

 

[Repair Reputation]

There is a certain irony to reviews - Take yelp for instance a study in the Search Engine Journal Reports that 90% of consumers trust yelp reviews while business insider reports that in 2014 20% of the reviews were fake. Not to mention I know lots of other Reputation Management Firms that sold reviews. So, in the past people would buy reviews and 90% of people trust those reviews even though 1 out of 5 are fake.

When it comes to facebook they have no guidelines for paying or incentivizing your audience to write reviews. Personally from a reputation management perspective I would say the only review that is worth something is an honest review and incentivizing a client to write a review is no different than paying the client. You will get away with it and you can do it on Facebook, but ethically you have to think twice.

 

[BHopkins]

incentivizing a client to write a review is no different than paying the client. You will get away with it and you can do it on Facebook, but ethically you have to think twice.

I disagree. If Verizon pays you to refer your friends does that mean that Verizon is bad and you're lying to your friends? Maybe it just means you like Verizon and want to get paid to suggest they switch from another service.

Nobody is being forced or coerced to leave a review. In my cases I don't even ask for a positive review, I just ask that they leave a review. If they want to leave a bad review, those are sent directly to the manager or business owner so they can handle it. Positive reviews are sent to the site that needs them such as Yelp, G+, etc.

 

[Repair Reputation]

I agree 100% that the best way to get a good review is to ask the people to leave a review. They are following you for a reason because they like your product. I might back down from my statement that incentivizing is no different than paying. That is a stretch. I think though there is a line there I am just not sure where it is. That being said, Yelps TOS clearly does not let you set up contests for reviews. I do not know what that means though!

 

[sbndnb]

I agree 100% that the best way to get a good review is to ask the people to leave a review. They are following you for a reason because they like your product. I might back down from my statement that incentivizing is no different than paying. That is a stretch. I think though there is a line there I am just not sure where it is. That being said, Yelps TOS clearly does not let you set up contests for reviews. I do not know what that means though!

Well in my opnion the difference lies in what you ask your customers. If you give out a bonus for leaving a honest review then I consider that ethically correct. However if you only allow positive reviews I don't see much of a difference with fake ones.
Also in regard to incentivizing any reviews, it's not a bad thing to get (and reward) bad reviews from your customers (as long as they don't appear ou in public - see review funneling). Most businesses will actually be glad to get some negative feedback as this will help them pinpoint problems in their organisation/service which will help them improve. As a bonus to this, they will have an opportunity to reestablish and nurture their relationship with an otherwise lost customer.

 

[macdonjo3]

Well in my opnion the difference lies in what you ask your customers. If you give out a bonus for leaving a honest review then I consider that ethically correct. However if you only allow positive reviews I don't see much of a difference with fake ones.
Also in regard to incentivizing any reviews, it's not a bad thing to get (and reward) bad reviews from your customers (as long as they don't appear ou in public - see review funneling). Most businesses will actually be glad to get some negative feedback as this will help them pinpoint problems in their organisation/service which will help them improve. As a bonus to this, they will have an opportunity to reestablish and nurture their relationship with an otherwise lost customer.

So as long as I don't funnel the reviews, I should be okay?

I want to reach out to our loyal Facebook audience for reviews and then do a random prize draw to someone who leaves a review at the end of the week.

 

[shadecc3]

I think you could do it publicly on Facebook but results may not be up to par. I would just target the happy customers on whatever channels you have available to you whether they are online or offline. Think of how customers communicate with the company and then see if you can target only the happy customers. For example:
- For Facebook, see if you can match the happy customer name to your customer database. Reach out to them via phone/email for a review.
- Customer service dept can be directed to let happy customers know they can share their experience on [review] site.
- Is a survey sent out to customers? If so, can you tell which are happy and which aren't?
- Is there an internal review system that you use where you showcase reviews on your site? Email those happy customers to leave reviews on 3rd party sites.
etc.

As per above, Yelp doesn't like you asking for reviews. Instead, let the happy customers know about your profile. There's a difference between requesting vs. promotion - just have to word the email/letter the right way. Google is okay to request for reviews but doesn't like companies incentivizing.

 

[originalposter]

Well in my opnion the difference lies in what you ask your customers. If you give out a bonus for leaving a honest review then I consider that ethically correct. However if you only allow positive reviews I don't see much of a difference with fake ones.
Also in regard to incentivizing any reviews, it's not a bad thing to get (and reward) bad reviews from your customers (as long as they don't appear ou in public - see review funneling). Most businesses will actually be glad to get some negative feedback as this will help them pinpoint problems in their organisation/service which will help them improve. As a bonus to this, they will have an opportunity to reestablish and nurture their relationship with an otherwise lost customer.

Great post. Both positive and negative would contribute to the bottom line for businesses. (of course, as long as the negative doesn't get published publicly if avoidable). However, even if you did get negative review, you should take action and replying it to it.

No business is 100% perfect. But you can take the right actions by making it right. Customers like to work with responsible businesses with good culture. As sbndnb suggested, checkout review funnel - i believe it would help to achieve what you're looking for in many ways.