Reviewers Who Think
Have ever read a review and still wondered whether you’d like the product? Do you know any reviewer who you rely on because he or she has the opposite opinions of you? Sometimes a reviewer who thinks differently than we do is more valuable than one who doesn’t say what he or she thinks at all.
I’ve been reading a passel of product reviews all weekend. Now I remember why I don’t read reviews. In an effort to be unbiased, reviewers seem to be too distant, too flat — they give the facts. The facts aren’t enough.
Don’t Stick to the Facts
When you blog the facts only, anyone could write basically the same review. The differences will be in the writing only. When you blog the facts only people tend to read to the minute detail to make sure your facts are exactly right . . . and that they’re all there. Too many facts can be either distracting or boring. Would the VW Beetle have been a hit based only on the facts? What about McDonalds? the iPod?
If you want to write a product review that folks find useful, don’t stick to the facts.
- Facts don’t tell me if I will love my future mate.
- Facts don’t tell the story of history.
- Facts are only a part of the whole picture.
Write your experience too.
The Two Key Reasons to Write Your Experience
Here are the 2 key reasons why you should write a review with both the facts AND your experience.
- When you add your experience, readers get to see you. They know you used the product. It’s your voice and your credibility.
- When readers hear talk about using the product, they can picture themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they agree with how you found it, If you explain what made you think as you do — they’ll decide for themselves.
Any customer needs more than facts to decide whether to buy any product. Sure the facts are important, but looking only at the facts doesn’t tell what it’s like to use it.
When you add your experience, people are more likely to remember both the product and you. A great review can save a reader a great deal of time and money.
Don’t be shy. Tell me what you think.
— ME “Liz” Strauss
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Related
To follow the entire series: Liz Strauss’ Inside-Out Thinking to Building a Solid Business, see the Successful Series Page.
