Make Your Craft Business Sparkle This Christmas
With Halloween and Guy Fawkes out the way, retailers everywhere are getting ready for Christmas. For artists and crafters, there’s no better time than Christmas to make the business stand out. Beautiful handmade gifts that stand the test of time are the perfect way to bring happiness to friends and family! It’s time to shout about the joy that craft businesses bring at Christmas!
An effective way to do this is to enlist the help of Google reviews. Positive reviews help build trust with new customers, but they also boost your business’s visibility on Google Search and Maps. For small craft businesses, a well-maintained Google presence can make a world of difference.
How Google reviews make a difference
Statistics show that consumers do read online reviews before making purchasing decisions. Positive reviews don’t just make your business look appealing; they also impact search engine rankings, making it easier for customers to find you. This means that Google reviews will encourage people to choose your products because customers will find you first.
Reviews also act as proof of quality. If an issue were ever to arise related to product quality or service, positive reviews offer assurance (along with the right public liability insurance for crafters).
How to start leveraging Google reviews for your craft business
If you have not started collecting reviews, first you’ll need to set up a Google business profile. It’s free and it puts your business on Google Maps, which increases visibility for potential customers in your area.
It’s not difficult to set up a Google business profile, it’s just a question of using your Google account and following the prompts. You will be asked to verify your business which means that Google will send a postcard to your business address to verify your details.
Once Google has verified you, your Google business profile will allow you to encourage customers to leave reviews and (most importantly) you to be able to respond to them.
N.b. Just a quick note that once you have a Google business profile you need to remember to keep it up-to-date! As it is crucial for local SEO, you’ll be missed if any of the details change and you don’t update it. Especially at Christmas time with extended opening hours and special festive offers, it’s really important to keep customers informed.
1. Make it easy for customers to review
It’s important to make the process clear and easy for customers to leave reviews. Do this by generating a short, custom URL that links directly to your reviews page. This link can be shared across your social media profiles, added to email signatures, or even printed on receipts or thank-you cards. A short URL simplifies the process for customers, so they’re more likely to take a moment to write a review.
2. Get your first review
Before going fishing for a review, you need to be aware that Google doesn’t want businesses to offer incentives in return for a review. Google prohibit doing this. You don’t want to risk penalties and harm your credibility.
However, there is nothing wrong with reaching out to your repeat customers and kindly asking them to leave a review to help you improve and grow your business. There are a lot of people out there who want to support local businesses and buy local, and leaving you a review is all part of doing this.
3. Follow up after purchases
Straight after a customer buys from you, whether online or at a craft fair, dedicate five minutes to send them a friendly email or message thanking them for their support with a link to your Google review page and a polite request to share their experience of shopping with you. If you act quickly, customers are more likely to respond!
4. Publicise Google reviews on your website and social media
Add a testimonials page to your website to feature positive reviews, or embed them directly if your platform allows it. Share reviews on social media – Google even provide free templates that you can use to create posts! Throw off the British tendency to shy away from blowing your own trumpet and let the world know how good you are! People will read these reviews and act upon them.
5. Respond to reviews
Thank your customers politely for leaving positive reviews! If you can, reply to each review within 24 hours. If you do this, your Google reviews are more than a marketing tool, they become a great way to connect with customers.
Making your craft business sparkle on Google this Christmas will take a little bit of extra time but it’s worth the investment. Also, don’t forget that with a Google business profile, you are well placed to start running Google Ads to further promote your Christmas stock.
If you are new this Christmas to selling your handmade gifts online or at craft fairs, please do get in touch with us for advice on the correct public liability insurance for crafters. Every craft business is unique but we have the experience to help and advise you to find the correct cover. Just put in a call to Naomi or Sam at the office to find which public liability insurance for crafters is the perfect fit.
Here’s to a festive season filled with happy customers and five-star reviews!