Marketing Yourself Through Reviews

I’m not a wine drinker, but I did read “Five Uncommon Wines to Sample This Summer” with interest in this month’s Costco Connection.

The author showed her expertise for understanding wines and what readers want to know by:

Providing a visual breakdown of how to pronounce the wine’s name

Explaining the wine’s aroma and flavor

Telling in which area the wine is produced

Describing the wine’s color

Encouraging readers to come out of their comfort zone and try something new

I’m sure that wine enthusiasts could almost see and taste each selection, and Costco’s wine sales no doubt increased due to this two-column review.

Are reviews about your new products and services or reviews on items new to your industry a service that will elevate your expertise and sales?

Reviews are beneficial for everyone if written from a third party perspective. Leaning too much in favor of a product or talking only about negatives shows bias that can backfire on you.

Years ago I enrolled in a review course as part of my journalism studies at New York University. This is before I realized how important reviews would become online.

It’s okay if you haven’t studied how to write reviews in school. As a solo marketer, you already understand the balance between explaining the good parts and mentioning caveats that a buyer will appreciate.

Look at review sites you admire before adding this section to your Web site or blog. Such customer-centered information has the potential to market your expertise in the long run.