The Confident Entrepreneur With Jennifer Ann Johnson
Jennifer is a multifaceted entrepreneur while also actively involved in her community. She owns True Fashionistas (Florida’s largest lifestyle resale store), CooiesCookies, Pink Farmhouse (online store), and Confident Entrepreneur, which encompasses her podcast, blog, motivational speaking, and coaching business for women entrepreneurs. Jennifer is an inspiration to other women business owners - showing it's possible to be successful in business while also making a difference and giving back to her community. Jennifer lives in Naples FL with her husband and twins.
The Confident Entrepreneur With Jennifer Ann Johnson
Reviews That Sell: Turn Feedback Into Growth with Jennifer Ann Johnson
Your next customer is probably reading your reviews right now—and your response could be what seals the deal. In this episode, we share a practical, human approach to replying to both glowing praise and tough feedback. You’ll learn how to write responses that build trust, turn critics into fans, and turn your review section into your best marketing tool.
We’ll cover how to avoid sounding canned in positive replies, how to calmly handle negative reviews with a clear five-step script, and how to mine reviews for insights that improve your business and boost SEO. Plus, we touch on smart ways to ask for more reviews, why a mix of feedback builds credibility, and what legal lines not to cross.
Visit us at jenniferannjohnson.com and learn how Jennifer can help you build the life you dream of with her online academy, blog, one-on-one coaching, and a variety of other resources!
Today, we're tackling a topic that can make or break your business in the digital age, online reviews. Now I know before you get excited and get upset, just take a listen because I know how nerve-wracking it is every time I get an email from Google saying there's a new review or from Yelp. So in a world where consumers turn their screen to their screens before making decisions, your online reputation is your new storefront. But here's the deal: it's not just about collecting those coveted five stars, it's about how you respond and leverage every single review to turn browsers into buyers and critics into champions. So let's face it, we know with just a few taps, potential customers can access a treasure trove of opinions about your business. But businesses that respond to reviews, both good and bad, are almost two times more trustworthy than those who don't. I know they're just not, they're not just numbers, they're your business lifeline. I get that. So let's talk about the secret sauce, how you respond to those reviews. It's not just about damage control, it's about showcasing your business's personality and commitment to your customers. So let's talk about positive reviews first. Show a genuine approach, a simple thank you doesn't cut it. You need to personalize your response. Reinforce the positive. Echo what they loved about their experience and then invite them back. Turn a one-time customer into a loyal fan. And now for negative reviews, and I'm gonna be honest with you, this is where the magic happens. Keep calm, like I said at the beginning, and respond. Remember, your response is for everybody reading, not just the reviewer. Acknowledge and apologize, take responsibility, even if they're wrong, take it offline. Offer to continue that conversation privately to resolve any issues and then follow up publicly. Once it's resolved, update the review thread, show the potential customer that you go the extra mile. So now there's actually more to this because reviews aren't just feedback, they're a gold mine of business intelligence. And here's how to harness their power. You can identify trends. Are customers always raving about your staff? Highlight that in your marketing. Are they complaining about wait times? Then try to streamline your processes. It helps you improve products and services. Use specific feedback to refine your offerings. It's like having a focus group right at your fingertips. What could be better than that? You can use it to boost your SEO. Reviews are fresh. They're relevant content that search engines love. Encourage detailed reviews so that you can improve your search rankings. It's creating social proof. Share glowing reviews on your website and your social media. And then train your team. Use these reviews in your training programs. Help your staff understand what customers truly value. Now let's talk about generating more reviews because in this game, definitely quality has to be over, quantity has to be over quality all its own. So just ask. 70% of consumers will leave a review if you just ask. Make it part of your closing process. We give everybody a card before they leave. Make it easy. Send up follow emails, send up the follow-up emails with links to review yourself. Timing is everything. Ask for a review when customers are most satisfied, right after a positive interaction with them. And there's also technology that you can use that will help streamline that process for you. So turning lemons into lemonade, here's a mind vendor. Negative reviews can be good. Yes, they can be good because they build trust. It's a mix of positive and negative reviews shows authenticity. If you look at a review and you or at a company and you see only 100%, you got to scratch your head and go, I don't believe it. So definitely having positive and negatives are a good thing. They offer improvement opportunities. Each complaint is a chance to wow your customer and show them how you've improved. And they also set expectations. Negative reviews about minor issues can actually reassure the customers that there's no huge problems. I'm going to give you a really quick word of caution about legalities. Fake reviews are bad, absolutely not. You can't offer incentives, and you can't prohibit people from leaving negative reviews because all of those practices are going to land you in hot water. So as we wrap up, knowing that every review is an opportunity to shine and improve and show the world what your business is made of. So dive into those reviews, respond with grace, learn from feedback, and watch as your reputation becomes your most powerful marketing tool ever.
