In Episode 903 of the Official BNI Podcast, host Dr. Ivan Misner was joined by Rav Mendiratta, CEO of SocioSquares and Chief Product Officer at Propel—a SaaS platform focused on Google reviews and SEO. Rav shared practical, no-nonsense advice on how small businesses can get more online reviews and testimonials, both on public platforms and within BNI. Here’s a quick summary of the BNI podcast episode compiled as a blog post so you can skim through the key takeaways in minutes.
The 3 Big Mistakes Businesses Make with Reviews
- No direct link – Business owners often ask for reviews but don’t send a direct link to the review platform. This creates friction and leads to fewer responses.
- No follow-ups – Asking once isn’t enough. Without at least 1–2 reminders, most happy customers never end up leaving a review.
- Manual process – Relying on manual outreach wastes time and limits scale. Review automation tools can dramatically improve efficiency and output.
3 Ways to Get Up to 50% More Reviews
- Choose the right review platform – Not every business needs to be on every platform. Focus on the one where your target audience is most active (e.g., Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor).
- Showcase your reviews – Add positive reviews to your website and highlight them in BNI presentations. This reinforces credibility and encourages more testimonials.
- Use automation software – Tools like Propel help automate the entire process—from sending review requests to managing follow-ups—so you can scale review generation without adding to your workload.
Why Responses to Reviews Matter
More than 50% of potential customers read how businesses respond to reviews. A calm, professional reply—especially to a negative review—can actually improve trust and make the business look more credible.
As Rav explained, even imperfect ratings aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Customers often seek out negative reviews to assess how businesses handle criticism. A thoughtful response can outweigh the complaint itself.
Final Takeaway
Online reviews are no longer optional—they’re the foundation of trust. For BNI members and small business owners, consistently asking for and showcasing reviews is one of the most powerful ways to build authority and generate referrals.
To learn more about automating your review strategy, check out itspropel.com.
