Submitting Reviews for clients

Not quite understanding what you mean by that. Do you mean paying outsources to submit reviews for clients listings?

As in real customer reviews or fake reviews on your client's behalf?

I would be reluctant to submit fake reviews for my clients. This can come around and bite you in the you know what. Like other have stated, have your client get their customers to fill out a review form and then submit those reviews.

Why would you submit fake reviews? When you can submit real ones and charge money for it.

Give your client a form that their customers will fill out rating them. Then take that REAL REVIEW and post it for them online.

I always appreciated to write review by customer itself. You can offer them some discount in exchange of a good review!

This is good advice for my future in selling online! Thanks everyone.

Try this:

Provide a simple instruction form to the client to give to customers.

Include customer instructions how they can leave a comment, compliment, or even a complaint on/at xxx.com-review site (GP, Yelp, etc with the actual link to the site).

Provide instructions how that customer may need to create an account to comment at the site (GP can use existing gmail, etc). This seems to be the main reason normal customers do not want to leave comments (afraid of spam, viruses, etc); it does not seem to be the time required, most use smart phones anyway.

Then include a few (no more than 3) examples of "suggested" reviews using the keywords (not overstuffed) that you want them to use.

I actually have the instructions printed on a 4 x6 index card shaped colorful piece of paper. Use both sides and include a Q-code to the review site, store site, email sign-up form, or whatever.

Just keep the customer form simple, it is not a sales letter. If it looks complicated; it probably is and will not be followed.

I have the store owner tell their customers that they/customer needs to tell them/owner that they left a review the next time they visit the store. Then, the owner usually provides a discount, etc without telling the customer what they would actually receive.

I get paid by the owner to keep up with their on-line reputation, notify the owner monthly of actual reviews left by customers, site statistics, etc and respond to the customer reviews.

Hope this makes sense.

It has been a great service to "provide" the owner with a 'cheat sheet' to give to customers, stuff in their bags, or post with a Q-code on their door. Owners have indicated that this was a great "service" to them.

I have also packaged two quick videos and an "owners manual" for all my off-line clients that they can share/train their employees with. It includes info on Facebook Likes, Twitter, U-tube, other social sites, etc. Try giving that to your clients before you ever try an up-sell to a new web-site, mobile site, etc. They will like you lots.

You are asking for trouble if you post fake reviews but trying to get customers to..

1. Create an account of City search

2. Confirm the email address

3. Post a review etc

Is too much for most people, this is why asking customers to send a review by sms to email works much better. You can then pay someone to post them for you, I use US Search Marketing - Rocket Your Business to The Top NO AFFILIATE link here.

Fake review = no no.

Yea, there is some very good advice going around on this thread. Remember, your reputation is your biggest selling point. Do not tarnish that or your client's image. Amazon is going through problems with this very issue. An honest 3 star review will be better than a fake 5 star in the long run.

Yelp also tracks IP addresses. I recently got a client for rep management because he and his girlfriend thought they were being smart by creating fake profiles, tying them to yahoo email addresses, then posting reviews on Yelp.

ALL the Yelp reviews are now filtered out. And in fact legitimate reviews have also been filtered out.

I would think anyone interested in creating an actual business by offering offline marketing consultancy would never want to tinker into black hat areas, at their clients expense. It's morally wrong, and some cases legally wrong. Morally wrong is enough for me, albeit legal , I still wouldn't touch it.

If you are just trying to figure out "easy" work "arounds", to make a quick buck and not actually provide something useful to your client (or the potential to harm the clients reputation), then I do not see you building an actual substantial business, ever.

I have clients that ask me "what about this? I heard this helps" - and if it doesn't fit their business, I will tell them "I really think that could end up being a waste of your money, even if it is going to make me money, I really do not see that working out. Ultimately it is your decision, and if you want me to drum it up, let me know, but I am not going to tell you it is a good idea just to take your money". Do you think I have earned some degree of trust and respect from my clients? If they aren't making money, and paying me to help them make money by being a "local marketing expert" , then why in the hell would I even call my self anything near that of a marketer?


For reviews: it is part of my google places, and my clients have procedures in place to get their customers/clients to leave reviews for them OR they will ask them "Hey, could you write me a review on a survey really quick? I would really appreciate it! I will have my guy upload it to you verbatim to a review site, it will really help me out as a small business owner" - Something to that effect. Then of course, some of their clients go on their own and leave reviews.

Since reviews are a part of reputation management, you could offer the service in a legit way, and charge more than $99 a month.

I am still learning, I am still young in my offline career (started in late November), but I have learned a lot, and continue to learn everyday, but this idea (fake reviews) I wouldn't touch with a 3 foot pole.


Ryan

The only guy that has requested I do this has stiffed me on payment. If you sense weirdness, walk away!