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The post How to Use Customer Reviews to Get New Business appeared first on HostGator Blog . Social proof is a critical part of any freelancer’s marketing strategy. In particular, customer reviews can offer an inside look at your products and services. By using customer reviews, you can enhance the purchasing experience. Clients appreciate reading your current customers’ comments, assessing star ratings on specific items, and seeing product photos. It’s time to put your work and raving reviews in the spotlight. Here are five ways to take advantage of customer reviews. 1. Add Reviews to Your Website As a freelancer, you juggle multiple responsibilities. You’re fulfilling orders, invoicing customers, and sorting out paperwork. So, when it comes to finding new customers, you may feel overwhelmed and ready to give up. However, you can simplify the process by leveraging customer reviews on your website. You can place reviews on your home, portfolio, or testimonial pages. Give the reviews some flair by adding custom graphics or inserting block quotes. Business Casual Copywriting displays reviews in a prominent area of its website. The graphic adds to the brand’s personality and the review highlights what matters most to future customers. It’s essential to exhibit reviews that talk about your company’s services and business practices. You want buyers to get a holistic perspective about your brand. For example, if you sell animation services, you want reviews discussing your awesome designs and how you offer a speedy turnaround time. Are you ready to update your website with new reviews? Check out HostGator’s shared web hosting for an easy and affordable experience. 2. Mention Reviews in Paid Ads Most freelancers cringe at the thought of paid advertising because it can be complicated, time-consuming, and expensive. You can ease your worries by using reviews to acquire new customers. The tangled web of paid advertising focuses on one primary thing—your copywriting. How you communicate with clients impacts the brand interaction. If your copy is too edgy, you could upset your customer base. But if your words are too vague, you may not attract any new buyers. A good starting point is to insert customer reviews in your ads. Unique testimonials provide a different viewpoint and will separate your brand from other competitors.   When venturing into paid ads, you’ll want to conduct lots of experiments on your copy. Chad Kearns , vice president of client solutions at Portent, elaborates about ad testing: “Writing great ad copy doesn’t always happen on your first try. By implementing ad tests you can see what resonates and what doesn’t with your customers. Continuing to test to find what works best is how you continue to find and write great PPC ads as your account management continues.” So, shake up your paid ad copy with customer reviews. It’s another avenue to present your solopreneur portfolio. 3. Share Reviews on Social Media Social media is a prime location to publicize customer satisfaction. According to Sprout Social , “social networks are the biggest source of inspiration for consumer purchases with 37% of consumers finding purchase inspiration through the channel.” Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, you have an opportunity to invite more customers to your creative services. You can post exact quotes from customers and tag them in the comments. With their permission, you might consider including a photo of the individual to add credibility to their words. You can make it a part of your weekly schedule and post only reviews on a specific day. Below, email marketer Val Geisler posts a tweet highlighting praise from an individual in her Email Masters Incubator program. This message brings authenticity to her work and her clients’ success. You also could repost reviews directly from customers, so they appear in your timeline for followers to read. And don’t shy away from negative reviews. By replying to unfavorable posts, you show potential customers your commitment to offering high-quality service. It’s a win-win! 4. Spotlight Reviews in Online Community Groups Community groups have become an integral part of online culture, especially with the launch of tools like Slack. People are congregating to talk about everything from sports to pets. With a freelancing business, online community groups can serve as an effective way to meet new partners and introduce your services to potential customers. Start engaging with groups tailored to your customers’ needs. For instance, if you sell customized designer bracelets, you may want to join high-end fashion groups. When showcasing your solopreneur portfolio, you don’t need the highest customer rating or an overly bodacious review. Taral Patel , a digital marketer, explains: “They are not always a perfect rating either, and can contain suggestions and even negative feedback. However, all word of mouth advertising has value – good or bad – and it is important for brands to resist the urge to edit comments and reviews left by customer.” Moreover, be honest in your online community groups. Share real reviews from real customers. If someone has questions, give them a truthful response and your goals for improving the overall customer experience. 5. Include Reviews in Promotional Emails Constant Contact reports that 80% of professionals credit email marketing as a driver of customer acquisition and retention. When executed correctly, email becomes a powerful source to connect and persuade customers. Using email to deliver customer reviews is a sound strategy for communicating with your subscribers. Rather than tooting your own horn, you have a chance to send social proof to their inboxes. Reforge Growth Series adds multiple customer reviews to its emails to help boost trust about its program. These testimonials speak directly to what the individual learned and how they felt. Avoid overloading your promotional emails with unnecessary information. The clutter will only distract your recipients and cause them not to redeem your promotion. You also can reduce unnecessary spam to your email account with domain privacy . Promotional emails are practical for encouraging current customers to submit reviews. You can entice them to participate by giving away a cool swag bag or inviting them to a VIP customer event. Email marketing is a direct line of communication to your audience. Customer reviews improve the conversations. Earn More Customers with Reviews Customer reviews can connect your small business with more customers. Whether the reviews live on social media or paid ads, it’s a chance to tout your accolades. Need help getting more reviews for your business? check out our guides for small business owners and solopreneurs . Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →