We know that lousy customer reviews can be the KOD (kiss of death) for some retailers. We also know that strong customer reviews can enhance sales in a meaningful way. So, how do we get great customer reviews?

Consider these observations by Ajay Prasad, writing for Business2Community:

“Word-of-mouth is the big differentiator. It can make or break a brand, increase conversion rates and catapult a company to new levels. And that was before the Internet even existed. In this new interconnected world, word-of-mouth buzz matters more than ever before – and that’s why you need to convince your customers write reviews. Social media makes it easier than ever for people to solicit recommendations and referrals from friends and family members – and those referrals carry with them an awful lot of clout.”

“74 percent of consumers say they consider word-of-mouth buzz before making a purchasing decision; Ogilvy reports that 84 percent of consumers say they trust (somewhat or completely) recommendations of family, colleagues and friends. According to Nielsen, 88 percent of people online say they trust online reviews written by other consumers as much as they do those which come from personal contacts, according to BrightLocal. Now you know why word-of-mouth buzz can set you apart from the competition – for better or worse.”

Click the image to read NINE tips from Prasad.