How to Write Business Reviews for Locales
Written business reviews are a great form of free advertising for small businesses. Some business owners may even solicit reviewers to take a look at their operation. Entire books are written reviewing various businesses, the most common of these are in the hospitality industry for restaurants and hotels. Local businesses are usually reviewed in community magazines or newspapers. Whatever the industry or specific location for which you write a review, it is best if you have a knowledge of the community, and if possible the industry you are reviewing.
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Instructions
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Getting Ready to Review
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Restaurants are one of the most commonly reviewed businesses. Decide which type of business you would like to review. Though specific experience is not required, it is best to choose an industry in which you have experience. This will help you understand industry best practices for quality of product and service.
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Customer service is an important factor in reviewing businesses. List the factors you will use in rating the business. Think of what you would want to see as a customer and start with this in mind. Will you look at customer service, price, product quality and variety? These are all valid rating criteria, but think creatively on what additional information the general consumer would want to know.
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3
Ratings should be more informative than providing a simple yes or no. Determine a rating scale for each of the factors chosen. Restaurant and movie reviews often use a system of five stars to communicate the relative result of their review. Define and document criteria on what each rating level means so you can objectively review each business based on specific parameters. For example, in a five star restaurant rating system, five stars may mean flawless service, but four stars could mean the service was very good, but the staff did not go above and beyond to make your experience the best it could be.
Writing the Review
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Don't compare a fast-food restaurant with a fine-dining restaurant in your review. Take into account the business you are reviewing, the location of the review and what level of service is provided at the specific business. If you are reviewing a restaurant catering to a lunchtime or commuter crowd, take that into account when writing your review. Measuring this restaurant versus one that is reservation only and serves a predominantly evening dinner crowd would be a poor comparison.
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Get the reader interested in your review. Start the review with anecdotal information that leads into the business name and location. Set the tone for what type of business you are reviewing and set the expectations for the reader.
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Talk specifically about your experiences. Communicate specific information on the positive aspects of the business or service you encountered. Include detail in your examples. This narrative should be based on the objective criteria you have set. Keep in mind the review should be written to an audience that may not have your level of knowledge regarding the specific industry.
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Communicate bad experiences objectively. Provide a narrative on the negative aspects you encountered, or things that could be improved. Cite specific instances and leave little room for interpretation. If citing service flaws, avoid generalizations such as "seating was very slow." Instead give a specific example, such as "Even though the restaurant was empty, it took 15 minutes to be seated."
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Summarize the experience and provide a recommendation to the public. Before reaching the summary the reader may already have an idea of your recommendation, but explicitly state why you view this business positively or negatively.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember to stay objective in your review. Do not let personal feelings about a specific business cloud your judgment.
Avoid any conflict of interest with the businesses you review, and disclose any ties you may have.
References
Resources
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