The Power of A Review

During the past few months, I have been busy planning a wedding, and it occurred to me that  I have been heavily relying on reviews for nearly every aspect of the planning process. From hiring vendors to ordering customized products such as the guest book, signage and cake topper, to even picking the venue.

In all honesty, I am a typical modern consumer.  I constantly read reviews and even get aggravated when there are none, yet I never leave any myself, good or bad.  Then something happened that really hit home; our wedding coordinator told me that a good review in the wedding industry is a better currency and has more value than a tip. And I  completely see why. It also explains why so many vendors on Etsy have messaged me to see how I liked the product and encouraged me to leave a review.

So, what makes a good review?

Personally, I think the more details the better. My favorite reviews included pictures if relevant, descriptions of how the product or service delivered what was expected, if the sizes and colors were as pictured, anything that the customer didn’t expect or wasn’t listed, and if the reviewer would buy the product or service again if given the opportunity.

As a professional marketer, I think this is a good reminder to make sure you have a process for managing, responding to and encouraging reviews. Consumers – B2C and B2B do their homework and value other opinions, and reviews are a cost-effective way for companies/products to help market themselves.

And as a consumer, let me challenge you (and myself) to leave more reviews. This week I made a conscious effort to leave reviews and it felt really good knowing that it could potentially help someone with a purchasing decision as well as help businesses I had good experiences with.

Rachel Lowe

Digital Marketing Manager

Rachel is a young veteran in the marketing industry with expertise in both digital and traditional marketing. She currently leads the agency's digital services with experience supporting numerous brands, including Bruegger’s Bagels, The Container Store, JOANN Stores, Mr. Chicken, San Diego Lighting Association and more. Rachel holds certificates in HubSpot, Email Marketing, SEO/SEM, Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Sprout Social and Video Advertising. She is also a member of the PRSA Cleveland board of directors and is the VP of Communications on the executive committee. Most recently she received the PRSA Rising Star Award, recognizing and honoring an outstanding professional with seven or fewer years of experience. A proud graduate of The Ohio State University, she holds a bachelor’s in strategic communication, and minors in fashion and retail studies and professional writing. Rachel is also certified in Digital Marketing Strategies Data, Automation, AI & Analytics from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Executive Education program.