Leveraging donations for more reviews
Reviews are golden for online stores. They make new customers trust you faster. And fair is fair: the more good reviews you have, the more likely someone will decide to buy something from you.
Still, collecting reviews remains a tough job for many online stores. Customers are satisfied, but don't always bother to write that down. Fortunately, there is a clever and sympathetic way to change that: reward each review with a donation to charity.
Why reviews are so important
We probably don't need to explain to you that good reviews can make all the difference. Research shows time and again that customers would rather buy from a store with many and mostly positive reviews. Reviews are the digital push that wins over doubters. More reviews means more trust. And trust means more orders. Simple, right?
The challenge: motivating customers to review
Writing a review takes time and effort. And let's face it: most customers only think about it when they are either very satisfied or not at all. As an online store, you want to get that quiet, satisfied majority to write reviews, too.
Because reviews are so important, almost every online store asks customers to leave a review. Customers get more and more requests for reviews and are getting a little "review-tired".
Many web shops try it with a discount code or loyalty points. But that is not attractive for everyone, because you have to make a repeat purchase to make use of it. It sometimes feels a bit like a mustard after the meal, because a discount would have been possible on your previous purchase... And because it happens so often, you no longer stand out.
Is there another way? Yes there is.
Reward a review with a donation
What if you do something new? Something that makes customers feel good about writing a review? For example, by donating €1 to charity for every review posted.
For customers, it doesn't feel like a reward for themselves, but a contribution to something bigger. Without them having to pay anything themselves. That makes it extra attractive: it costs nothing, but it does give a good feeling.
Why this works so well
There is psychology behind it. People enjoy doing something good, especially if it's easy. In cause marketing, this is called the warm glow effect. Your customer gets a positive feeling because he or she is contributing to a good cause just by writing a review.
And it doesn't stop there. As a company, you also show that you look beyond profit. That gives you a sympathetic and committed image, something more and more consumers value.
Unlike coupon codes, customers also retain a much more positive feeling about your review request. After all, it is often the last step in the customer journey, and if you conclude it sympathetically, the likelihood of repeat purchases is also much higher.
Finally, it's also just nice to be able to support a charity you personally care about. They do good work with your donation. You can share about this on social media, so the charity gets extra attention and you benefit from a social image.
The advantages at a glance
- More reviews, faster and easier
- A stronger, social image for your shop
- Customers get a good feeling about your brand
- Less dependent on discount offers
- And of course: it is also very nice to support a good cause.
How it works
It's simple. You link a donation to each review, for example €1 per written review. As soon as a customer leaves a review, the donation goes to the charity of your choice.
You can of course do this manually, but keep in mind that you can't just link yourself to a charity. You have to make arrangements with the charity, keep records and create marketing materials.
You can easily automate all this, too. With a platform like CauseCompany you can set up a campaign in just a few clicks. Of course, you decide which charity you support, so you can choose one that suits your brand and customers. Then you easily link WebwinkelKeur or other review platforms.
For the success of your donations, communication is very important: mention it in the review request, send a thank you email, and show on your website how much has already been donated thanks to your customers. The more concrete you are, the more people will want to participate.
A sample Widget from CauseCompany.com to show your impact
Tip: Choose a cause that fits your brand
Choose a cause that is recognizable and appealing to your customers. For example, do you sell outdoor products? Then a foundation that protects nature suits you well. Do you appeal to a broad audience and is sustainability not so important to you? Then support a social cause like the Food Bank.
This way the donation feels even more personal for your customer.
Especially for WebwinkelKeur members
As founder of WebwinkelKeur I like to do something extra for the WebwinkelKeur members. That's why WebwinkelKeur members get 9,- per month extra discount on top of the Earlybird discount. With that, the first 100 customers don't pay 59,- but only 20,- per month. Use this offer? Sign up through the website and then contact us to process the discount.
In CauseCompany's AppStore you simply link your WebwinkelKeur member page so that for every review a donation is automatically made. Furthermore, of course you get all the promotional materials to include on your website, on social media and in your review request.
Also ready for more reviews and more impact?
With a small donation per review, you not only make your customers happy, but also make the world a little nicer. And in the meantime, your online store grows because of the extra trust and sympathy you build.
Curious how you can arrange this easily? At CauseCompany we would love to help you. Would you like to make use of this offer? Read the steps to do so here.
Make your reviews do some good - find out how to get started today.