A common thought when starting a Review Program is to exclusively source reviews from the happiest customers. Because, to be frank, they are the ones that will put your product in the best light possible, right? 

But reality is—every product has flaws and one product does not fit every buyer’s needs. It’s just not possible.

In a world where reviews are rampant (along with fraudulent reviewers), buyers know what to look for, are already skeptical, and want to know what they are getting themselves into off the bat. They are more hesitant than ever before and do not want to be surprised once implementation begins.

Therefore, the more honest and detailed your reviews are, the ideal customers will come your way—and stay, year after year.

6 Ways to Source Unbiased Reviews:

1. When putting a list together, make the selection completely random.
2. Ask all customers to leave a review post-implementation, after a new feature launch, or after a certain period of time.
3. Make sure the language you use in your ask is neutral.
4. Use a dedicated email or request to review (i.e. not rolling it in to another communication, such as a newsletter or event email)
5. Offer a small incentive to thank reviewers for their time.
6. Ask your users inside your product.

What NOT to Do When Sourcing Unbiased Reviews:

1. Don’t ask for a review after renewal. With the more hands-on, personalized outreach they receive prior to renewal, their opinion will be skewed in this moment. Opt instead to reach out to them 6 months later or at the next feature launch.
2. Don’t send an invitation to all of your heavy promoters after an NPS survey.
3. Don’t offer higher incentives for positive reviews. Offer the same incentive to everyone.
4. Don’t include biased language, such as “tell us why you love our product” in the review ask.

Worried about negative reviews?

After helping millions of buyers make a tech buying decision, surveying 10s of thousands of them, and talking with hundreds of them over video, we know that there are plenty of positives for a vendor to receiving negative feedback.

We highly recommend bookmarking this article on what to do with 1 star reviews. Don’t worry about it now, but know that there are action items you can take when getting a 1 star review that will make your company look even better.

You’ve sourced unbiased reviews. Now what?

If you haven’t already, talk with your CSM about making sure those reviews are marked as “Trusted.” Send details and screenshots of the review ask. These reviews will now carry more weight in your TRscore.

You can also apply for TRUE: a program that gives you a badge that tells buyers that they can trust the reviews on your page. It signals your prospects that you have sourced equally and fairly among your customers.