Episode 903: Three Keys to Mastering Online Reviews

Summary

Mastering Online Reviews: Three Key Strategies for Business Success

In Episode 903 of The Official BNI Podcast, released on March 26, 2025, Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, teams up with Rob Menderada, CEO of Socio Squares and Chief Product Officer of Propel, to explore the pivotal role of online reviews in modern referral marketing. Titled "Three Keys to Mastering Online Reviews," this episode delves into the common pitfalls businesses encounter when managing reviews and offers actionable strategies to optimize their online reputation effectively.

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Introduction

The episode kicks off with Priscilla Rice welcoming listeners and introducing Dr. Ivan Misner and special guest Rob Menderada. Rob brings with him 15 years of expertise in online marketing and AI solutions, along with recognition as LinkedIn's top voice. His dual roles at Socio Squares and Propel position him as an authority on leveraging SaaS platforms to enhance business visibility through Google reviews and SEO.

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Three Common Mistakes in Handling Online Reviews

Dr. Misner asks Rob to outline the three primary mistakes business owners make concerning online reviews. Rob identifies these as:

1. Ask and Forget ([02:11])

   Rob explains that many business owners fall into the trap of asking customers for reviews without any follow-up, assuming that a single request is sufficient. This "ask and forget" mentality often leads to low review rates because even well-intentioned customers may forget amidst their daily routines. To counter this, Rob recommends making the review process as effortless as possible, such as sending direct links via email or text, thereby simplifying the task for customers.

   Rob Menderada ([02:11]): "Leaving a review is instant and hassle free."

   Dr. Misner concurs, sharing his personal experience where providing direct links significantly increased his review submissions.

   Dr. Ivan Misner ([02:57]): "I've had people do that with me and it's nudged me more often than not."

2. No Follow-Ups ([03:08])

   The second mistake Rob highlights is the absence of follow-up communications. Initial requests often go unanswered, likened to a salesperson expecting a prospect to respond without reminders—a scenario that seldom succeeds. By implementing personalized follow-up emails or text reminders, businesses can boost their review rates by 30% to 50%.

   Rob Menderada ([03:08]): "A few simple personalized emails or text reminders can make all the difference."

3. Manual Requesting Instead of Automation ([04:07])

   Many businesses manually solicit reviews, which is time-consuming and inefficient. Rob emphasizes the importance of using software to automate the review request process. Automation not only saves time but also ensures consistency and scalability in collecting feedback.

   Rob Menderada ([04:07]): "It's inefficient and slow."

   Dr. Misner adds that utilizing SaaS platforms can streamline this process, making it both effective and manageable.

   Rob Menderada ([04:16]): "There are several of them out there and we have one such SaaS platform as well."

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Maximizing Online Reviews for Reputation Management

Rob discusses the strategic importance of proactively collecting positive reviews to balance out the naturally higher tendency of dissatisfied customers to leave negative feedback. In industries like auto body shops, minor issues can prompt negative reviews, potentially skewing the overall reputation despite numerous satisfied customers.

Rob Menderada ([05:00]): "Unhappy customers are much more likely to leave a review than happy ones."

Dr. Misner reinforces this point, referencing his 1994 book where he noted that people are more likely to vocalize dissatisfaction than satisfaction, a principle that still holds true today.

Dr. Ivan Misner ([06:31]): "People are more likely to talk about you when they're upset with you than they are when they're happy with you."

To mitigate this, Dr. Misner suggests that BNI members share positive reviews during weekly presentations, publicly acknowledging reviewers to encourage others to do the same. This community-driven approach can significantly amplify the number of positive testimonials.

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Strategic Platforms and Showcasing Reviews

Rob advises selecting the right platforms for collecting and showcasing reviews, such as Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and specialized platforms like BNI Connect. Automating the request process and prominently displaying reviews can enhance a business's online presence and credibility.

Rob Menderada ([06:59]): "Picking the right platform is a must. Showcasing the reviews is important."

Dr. Misner adds that repurposing reviews across multiple channels, including websites and LinkedIn, can maximize their impact, turning a single testimonial into multiple endorsements.

Dr. Ivan Misner ([07:53]): "You can use reviews like that, cut and paste them with approval to your own website, which leverages one review into multiple reviews."

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Responding to Reviews: Building Trust and Credibility

A critical aspect of managing online reviews is responding to them, especially negative ones. Rob emphasizes that over 50% of customers consider how businesses respond to reviews when forming their opinions. Thanking customers for positive feedback fosters loyalty, while addressing negative reviews professionally demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction and the ability to handle criticism gracefully.

Rob Menderada ([08:16]): "Thanking customers for positive reviews builds loyalty while handling negative reviews showcases that the business is calm and professionally can handle critical feedback as well."

Dr. Misner shares his own experience of responding to a negative review about his book, illustrating how a calm and factual response can mitigate the impact of the criticism and reassure potential customers.

Dr. Ivan Misner ([09:24]): "If I see a negative review and I see a response from the business that is calm, cool, collected... I discount that negative review and take that response as being more accurate to what the organization is all about."

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Leveraging Reviews Within BNI

Rob highlights the unique advantage BNI members have in leveraging reviews within their network. By obtaining testimonials on BNI Connect, members can build trust and enhance their reputation within the BNI community, which can lead to increased referrals.

Rob Menderada ([07:36]): "A strong presence on BNI Connect builds trust with their BNI network."

Dr. Misner encourages members to integrate reviews into their BNI activities, such as weekly presentations, to amplify their positive impact.

Dr. Ivan Misner ([11:25]): "Take these ideas and try to apply them into your chapter and get your members to do reviews and endorsements."

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Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Rob reiterates the foundational role of trust in business success, with online reviews serving as essential building blocks. He advocates for a proactive approach—asking for reviews, automating the process, and showcasing feedback—as critical steps for BNI members to thrive.

Rob Menderada ([11:02]): "Trust is the foundation of every successful business. And online reviews are the building blocks."

Dr. Misner concurs, urging listeners to apply these strategies within their BNI chapters to harness the collective power of testimonials and endorsements for sustained growth and enhanced business networks.

Dr. Ivan Misner ([11:25]): "Take these ideas and apply them into your chapter and get your members to do reviews and endorsements, preferably in writing."

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Notable Quotes

• Rob Menderada ([02:11]): "Leaving a review is instant and hassle free."
• Dr. Ivan Misner ([02:57]): "I've had people do that with me and it's nudged me more often than not."
• Rob Menderada ([03:08]): "A few simple personalized emails or text reminders can make all the difference."
• Dr. Ivan Misner ([06:31]): "People are more likely to talk about you when they're upset with you than they are when they're happy with you."
• Rob Menderada ([08:16]): "Thanking customers for positive reviews builds loyalty while handling negative reviews showcases that the business is calm and professionally can handle critical feedback as well."
• Dr. Ivan Misner ([09:24]): "If I see a negative review and I see a response from the business that is calm, cool, collected... I discount that negative review and take that response as being more accurate to what the organization is all about."
• Rob Menderada ([11:02]): "Trust is the foundation of every successful business. And online reviews are the building blocks."

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Final Thoughts

Episode 903 of The Official BNI Podcast offers a comprehensive guide for business owners on effectively managing online reviews. By avoiding common mistakes, implementing strategic follow-ups, leveraging automation tools, and responding thoughtfully to feedback, businesses—particularly BNI members—can significantly enhance their online reputation. These strategies not only build trust and credibility but also drive sustained growth through powerful customer endorsements and an optimized referral network.

For more insights and tools to elevate your BNI experience, visit MeisnerAudioPrograms.com and use the promo code IVAN50 for a 50% discount on all offerings. All proceeds support the BNI Foundation.

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Connect with Rob Menderada: [e-mail] | Propel.com

Follow BNI Podcast: Stay tuned for more episodes packed with networking and referral marketing tips from the father of modern networking.

Transcript

[Priscilla Rice]

Episode 903 Three Keys to Mastering Online Reviews.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

You're listening to the official B and I podcast with BI founder and chief visionary officer, Dr. Ivan Meisner. Stay tuned for networking and referral marketing tips from the man who's been called the father of modern networking, along with suggestions and insights into getting the most from your membership in the world's largest networking organization, bni.

[Priscilla Rice]

Hello everybody. Welcome back to the official BNI Podcast. I'm Priscilla Rice and I'm coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California. And I'm joined on the phone today by the founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of B and I, Dr. Ivan Meisner. Hello Ivan, how are you and where are you?

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Wow. I have actually been able to be home for a few weeks. I'm still home in Austin, Texas and it's great to not have to get on a plane for for a few weeks.

[Priscilla Rice]

Oh yeah, I bet.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Absolutely. So I have another guest today and this gentleman was recommended by his directors, highly recommended by his directors for this topic. His name is Rob Menderada and Rob is the CEO of Socio Squares and he's the Chief Product Officer of Propel, a SaaS platform that helps businesses shine through Google reviews and SEO. He's got 15 years of expertise in online marketing and AI solutions and he's been recognized as LinkedIn's top voice, an invitation only recognition given to industry leaders. And I really thought that he would make a great guest to talk about mastering online reviews because testimonials and endorsements are really important in B and I. So Rav, welcome to the B and I podcast.

[Rob Menderada]

Thank you Dr. Meisner. It's truly an honor to be here.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Well, it's a pleasure having you on and please call me Ivan. So talk about three mistakes that business owners tend to make with reviews particularly. And as you're listening to this, members think about getting reviews that will help you in your B and I chapter. So what are the three mistakes people make, Rob?

[Rob Menderada]

That's a great question, Dr. Meisner. And in my years of experience, I've seen business owner make these three mistakes every so often. The first one is the ask and forget. Now many business owners assume that just because a customer says they'll leave a review, they actually will. It's like a physical therapist treating a patient and saying please stretch at home, but never checking in or scheduling a follow up. Now most customers have good intentions, but life gets in the way. They get in their car, drive home, deal with kids, emails, Netflix, and by the time they remember the moment is gone. That's why businesses need to make it effortless. Maybe send a direct link via email or text. So leaving a review is instant and hassle free.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

And can I just say, the direct link concept is a great concept and I've had people do that with me and it's nudged me more often than not. So that's a great suggestion.

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. The number two mistake I've seen is no follow ups. And no follow ups in my world means no reviews. Now, asking for a review once and never bringing it up is like a sales guy expecting a prospect to get back on the proposal on time without a reminder. Right. Never happens. So most people won't leave a review the first time you ask. But businesses that follow up increase review rates up to 50%. A few simple personalized emails or text reminders can make all the difference. And the third one, third one is doing it manually instead of automating. Now a well written review can be worth thousands of dollars over time. But many business owners spend hours manually asking for reviews instead of using a software to automate the process. It's like a law firm handling every case with paper files instead of using a case management software. It's inefficient and slow.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So let me ask you, Rob, so there are software platforms that will that people can use that would automate the request for reviews?

[Rob Menderada]

Yes, absolutely. There are several of them out there and we have one such SaaS platform as well.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Okay, all right, I didn't know that. That's good to know. So if they get these, if they follow up and they do so several times, you're going to increase the number of reviews by, you say up to 50%, is that correct?

[Rob Menderada]

Yeah, it varies by industry, but here's what the data tells us. Without follow ups, only 5 to 10% of customers leave a review on their own. Proactive follow ups, that number jumps between 30 to 50%. But here's the interesting challenge. Now, unhappy customers are much more likely to leave a review than happy ones.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah.

[Rob Menderada]

So if I were to take an example of say an auto body shop, let's say they just finished a big job fixing a customer's car, the customer is thrilled, no more dents, no more stress. But a week goes by, they don't leave a review. Why? Because their problem is solved and they've probably moved on. But at the same time, if there's another customer who experienced a minor delay, maybe in scheduling or a part got delayed, they are much more likely to leave a review about that frustration. So if the Body shop is not actively collecting positive reviews. Their online reputation could be shaped by a few unhappy customers rather than the many satisfied ones.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So, listen, I couldn't. Couldn't agree with you more. I first wrote about this back in 1994 in a book I wrote with. With Mike Macedonio. Mike and Don are your executive directors, and Mike came on to one of the later editions. But I wrote about it in a book called the World's Best Known Marketing Secret. And I say that very thing. People are more likely to talk about you when they're upset with you than they are when they're happy with you. The only exceptions to that are restaurants and movies or TV shows where people will talk about that around the water cooler. But, you know, the auto body shop, you're right on the money that you have to really go after those reviews in order to get those positive reviews. So any other suggestions on how to go about getting them?

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. And you are way ahead of your time. If you wrote about this 20 years back. Thank you for doing that. I think there are a lot of review platforms where business owners can collect reviews. So from Facebook to Yelp to TripAdvisor. So picking the right platform is a must. Showcasing the reviews is important. And then automating whichever platform they select, automating the request process, making it easy is really important for business owners.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah. I have one other suggestion, and that is that when you get a B and I member who does a review and they do a, you know, a good review on your business, in your weekly presentation, read part of that review, thank the person for the review, and remind other members to please do a review as well if they've used your business. So, you know, when you show people in a B and I chapter what other B and I members have done and ask the existing members to also follow suit, you're more likely to get them to do the review. Would you not agree?

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. 100%. And for BNI members who rely on referrals as their primary source of generating new business, even asking for a testimonial on BNI Connect could be huge. A strong presence on BNI Connect builds trust with their BNI network.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah. And you can use reviews like that, you know, cut and paste them with approval to your own website, which, you know, leverages one review into multiple reviews.

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

So I know you want to talk a little bit. We've got a couple more minutes on responding to reviews. So you have some ideas on that that I think are valuable.

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. So in today's world, more than 50% of customers or potential customers who are reading reviews, they are looking at the responses as well. So thanking customers for positive reviews builds loyalty while handling negative reviews showcases that the business is calm and professionally can handle critical feedback as well. And it shows that you care. So responding is very important as well.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

You know, I couldn't agree more. Again, responding particularly to those negative reviews. When I'm looking at a review online, if I see a negative review and I see a response from the business that is, as you said, calm, cool, collected, or words to that effect and addresses the issue in a, in a positive way rather than a defensive way, I kind of discount that negative review and I take that, that response as being more accurate to what the organization is all about. Would you not agree with that?

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely. And the interesting thing about negative reviews is that if they are pointing towards a specific type of service, like in the body shop, there delays. If. If a part is delayed and a customer is frustrated because of that, the body shop owner can't do much over there, right?

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah.

[Rob Menderada]

So people who are reading the reviews, they understand that. So responding to that professionally helps a lot.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah, I agree. And you know, it's funny, I actually have a situation like that with one of my books where somebody gave me a one star out of five stars and they were upset at what was being charged for the Kindle version of the book and they were upset that it was being charged so much. And I responded saying, hey, I'm really sorry, but I have no control on what the publisher charges for a Kindle book. And I think the people that read that were like, okay, yeah, this is a lame review that this one star review gave.

[Rob Menderada]

You know, Dr. Meisner, it's very interesting that a perfect five star rating is not always the best solution. People today intentionally go to the negative ones and see what is written. So instead, like these actually they help that. Okay. People are really happy with the content of the book. It was just the price.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Yeah. And so it was out of my control.

[Rob Menderada]

Absolutely.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

I. Listen, we're almost out of time. Any closing thoughts, Rob? This has been good material. And if you're listening to this, take these ideas and apply them to how you can do testimonials and endorsements in your B and I chapter. Any last thoughts, Rob?

[Rob Menderada]

Dr. Maisa, I believe that trust is the foundation of every successful business. And online reviews are the building blocks. The more you stack them up, the stronger your business stands in the eyes of potential customers. So asking for reviews, automating the process, showcasing your reviews in today's day and world is a must. So I strongly recommend that to all B and I members.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

I agree completely. And if you're in bni, you're listening to this podcast. Take these ideas and try to apply them into your chapter and get your members to do reviews and endorsements, preferably in writing, so that you can use them on PNI Connect, on Yelp, on whatever platform, LinkedIn, whatever platform you would like. Rob, thank you so much for being here. For anyone that's interested in connecting with Rob, you can reach [e-mail] that is I T S P R O P E L. It's propel.com Rob, thank you so much for being on the BNI podcast.

[Rob Menderada]

Thank you, Dr. Meisner. It was an absolute honor. Thank you.

[Dr. Ivan Meisner]

Over to you, Priscilla.

[Priscilla Rice]

Okay, thank you, Rob. It's really interesting and wonderful to hear about that. Okay, I think that's it for this week. This podcast is sponsored by MeisnerAudioPrograms.com these audio programs will provide you with the tools and the inspiration to powerfully enhance your B and I experience. So check out the great material that's available to [e-mail] and then use the promo code IVAN5O for 50% off of everything. All of the proceeds go to the B and I Foundation. Thank you so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we look forward to having you join us again next week for another exciting episode of the official BNI podcast.