Whether you're eight or 38, certain activities will always be entertaining. And laser tag—the ultimate hall pass to dart around like a gleeful goofball while zapping your buddies—is definitely one of those experiences.From its niche origins as a real-life action game for sci-fi enthusiasts in the '80s, to its status today as a $288 million dollar industry, proprietors of this blast-of-a-pastime should get acquainted with the new taggers in town: Generation Z, the conscientious, tech-savvy demographic born from 1996 to 2010.With more than 74 million individuals falling into this bracket, Generation Z will comprise 40 percent of the U.S. population by 2020. This group hates talking on the phone. They're wary of disclosing personal information. They've never known life without a mobile device. They might even have to ask Siri, "Who is Billy Dee Williams?" after discovering that Donald Glover is not, in fact, the first actor to play Lando Calrissian in a "Star Wars" movie.At some point, Gen Z kids who grew up playing and loving laser tag will start booking and paying for games on their own. As a laser tag business operator, preparing to engage with this new generation of customers is crucial to keeping your arena forever glowing with infrared-lit fun.Here are five easy ways to engage Generation Z with your laser tag business:

1. Be Thoroughly Detailed On The Web

The first step is as easy as slipping into your vest. Make every detail about your business accessible anytime, anywhere—on your website, that is. Here’s why: Generation Z has never known a world without Internet access. If they're dying to know the nearest place to get a cheesesteak at 11 a.m., they'll Yelp it. If they need to know who sings that old “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” song, they'll Shazam it. And when they want to find a place to play laser tag, Google is the first—and quite possibly the only—place they’ll look.

2. Be Mobile-Friendly

On average, the kids of Generation Z use five screens a day: a smartphone, TV, laptop, desktop and iPad. They send and receive more than 67 texts a day according to a Pew Research Center study, and you can bet they'll be snapping photos while playing in your laser tag arena. If Generation Z is spending most of their time browsing from a mobile screen, a website that’s not mobile-friendly won’t cut it.Make sure your website is responsive—a.k.a., it “responds to” or resizes itself depending on the type of device it is being viewed on—so customers can easily access all of your information on-the-go. Request this if someone is designing your website for you, or choose a responsive template such as Wordpress, Squarespace, Webflow or Weebly if you're building the website yourself.

Make sure your website is responsive so customers can easily access all you your information on-the-go

3. Encourage Social Media Interaction

According to a Pew Research study, half of teens use social media for research purposes—not just sharing funny cat videos with friends, or applying 23 different SnapChat filters to their selfie before deciding on the flower crown. Again.If your laser tag business isn't on social media, you're likely to miss out big time on Generation Z customers. Start by creating a fun hashtag, then offer an incentive for customers who share your posts on their own accounts and tag you in it (either with your hashtag, or by tagging your company's social media handle). Encourage this by offering to take team photos before and after each laser tag game, and let your guests know the photo with the most "likes" wins a discount or complimentary game.You can also choose a winner at random: For example, let customers know that anyone who posts and tags their photo is eligible to win, and that a winner will be chosen at random every week, month, etc. Generation Z likes to see real-life customers in action, and running a laser tag facility means there's no shortage of photo ops.Code Red Laser Tag does a fabulous job posting high-quality images from different group games on their Facebook page. Staying active on your social pages will attract more followers and encourage fans to share your posts.Don't limit your company's social presence to one network, though. Generation Z prefers more personal platforms like Instagram, Whisper, Secret and Snapchat, rather than widely broadcasting their information over Facebook or Twitter. Try making a Snapchat account and adding cool snippets of battle scenes to your Snapchat Story. Or post a photo or video from each of your games on Instagram. It could help you gain followers, and entice players to return when they're reminded of how much fun it is.

4. Have A Secure Payment Process

Having a safe, secure payment process is important to Generation Z. Growing up in the midst of the Great Recession and regular fraud scams, these customers don't trust much. Asking them to email credit card numbers or fill out online forms that aren't accredited processors won't fly. Find a safe, secure way to accept payments so your customers aren't discouraged from booking.

5. Use An Online Booking Software

Almost half of Generation Z spends more than three hours a day on the computer for non-school-related purposes. These individuals are true digital natives—and will go through great lengths to avoid talking to you on the phone. Don’t lose customers just because they don’t want to dial your number. Use an online booking system that lets customers book a laser tag game anytime, anywhere—whether during a midnight Taco Bell run in an Uber, or while standing in line at Philz Coffee during a break between classes. Online booking software shouldn't limit the way you can accept payments, either. Find one that works for both phone and mobile reservations..Here are a few more ways laser tag businesses can benefit from an online booking system such as Peek Pro:

• Manually accept bookings with large groups: Allow customers to request a large booking and approve it manually. Bookings can be automatically approved or approved manually by you.
• Add-ons: Customize the checkout flow so customers can easily purchase add-ons when booking (party packages, a better gun, meals, etc.) with their reservation.
• Automated emails: Improve customer expectations, satisfaction and retention with customized emails containing essential details.
• Set prices: Easily set prices for various group sizes or individuals.
• Make it easy for private parties to book: Save certain time slots on the calendar specifically for private parties.
• Ask for a review: Customize automated emails sent to customers after the game. Make it easy for guests to provide feedback by embedding links to Yelp or Trip Advisor directly in the email.
• Sell and manage gift cards: Increase revenue during the holidays and throughout the year.
• Easily manage and redeem vouchers: Allow customers to redeem vouchers (like Groupon or Living Social) through the checkout flow. This saves staff’s time while providing an improved checkout process for first-time and returning customers.

While Generation Z might not have as many original "Star Wars" fans, vesting up and playing laser tag is something all demographics can enjoy. These five tips will help your business stay engaged with the biggest consumer base of the future.

Establishing a successful food tour is like preparing Thanksgiving dinner: There’s thousands of ways to put your own unique twist on every dish, but skip the fundamental ingredients, and things might not come together the way you envisioned. Whether launching a new business or looking for more ways to improve the customer experience, sink your teeth into these eight best practices for running a successful epicurean excursion.

1. Work With The Visitor's Bureau And/Or Local Community Organizations

Partnering with a local community organization can help accelerate growth, build beneficial connections, inspire new offerings and amplify visibility for your business.Walks of New York is one example of a company directly benefitting from its membership with NYC & Company—the official destination marketing organization for New York’s five boroughs. Stephen Oddo, Walks of New York co-founder, says his business is promoted through NYC & Company’s online and offline publications that reach millions annually, along with the organization’s website, visitor guides, maps and materials distributed directly to travel and meeting planners.Getting promoted in NYC & Company's many online and print publications is just one way Walks of New York benefits from its membership with the marketing organization.Over on the West Coast, no one could agree more than President Donald Contursi of Lip Smacking Foodie Tours in Las Vegas. To say Contursi understands the value of partnerships would be an understatement: He's on the Board of Directors for the Las Vegas Hospitality Association; a corporate sponsor for the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association; and an affiliate member of the National Concierge Association.“Las Vegas has a lot of really amazing restaurants and most people don’t realize they can experience four or five of those restaurants all in one night,” he explains. “It’s about getting the word out there, and there’s a lot of different organizations that will help you do so. I try to get involved with all of them.”Jumpstart your own success story: Research membership requirements with local groups such as the visitor’s bureau, economic development corporation, chamber of commerce, cultural society or downtown business association. Start by visiting your city’s website to get a feel for what types of resources are available to local business owners.

2. Mind Your Marketing

Dining is as much a visual experience as it is savory: You wouldn’t put a beautiful batch of mocha cupcakes with espresso buttercream frosting in a dark cupboard where no one will be tempted to buy them. Tractor beam potential customers like kids to a bakery case by allocating a portion of your operating budget for Internet marketing.Along with online sales distribution channels, Walk of New York focuses most of its marketing efforts on Social Media Marketing (SMM), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and YouTube. Offline, their primary focus is on word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM), attending conventions for hospitality professionals and travel agents. Working with a digital marketing firm to design a strategy that includes the aforementioned solutions will help create a digital footprint that boosts your search rank and bottom line.Being proactive with outreach and attending industry events is also key. In addition to inviting hotel concierges, members of the media and event planners on complimentary tours, Contursi stays connected with organizations that promote the city, such as the Las Vegas Convention & Visitor’s Authority.

3. Create An Authentic Experience

A generic corndog isn’t going to whet the appetite of a gourmand, and neither will a culinary tour that feels cookie-cutter. Designing an authentic experience will delight foodies seeking something truly unique, and also generate word-of-mouth marketing as satisfied customers happily recommend you to their foodie friends.When Walks of New York was designing its Authentic Italian Greenwich Village Food Tour & Tastings, the company set its sights on securing a partnership with celebrity chef Mario Batali because they liked his philosophies and felt he was well-connected to the community. The tour features two of Batali’s restaurants in Greenwich Village, a district rooted in Italian-American history and a staple of New York's food industry. Teaming up with a local chef connected to the city, its culture and its food was important, Oddo tells us.For Contursi, it’s a matter of balance. People want to try something different and learn new things, but that doesn’t mean the experience needs to be too out-of-the-box.“We don’t want to have a food challenge or be too extreme, but we don’t want to provide pizza that anyone could have found on their own, either,” he explains. “It needs to be well-rounded."It’s also important to “elevate” the experience at each venue by treating guests to something special and exclusive—whether it’s a VIP dining experience or a private audience with the chef.“We want to have something that’s unique and provide an experience the guests wouldn’t be able to put together on their own, so that means elevating the experience at each venue they visit,” Contursi says.

4. From Parties Of Two, To Groups Of 20—Be Consistent

“Even if it’s only two people you have booked for the tour, don’t cancel. Show those two people an amazing time, and they’ll go and tell 10 more people about it.”— Donald Contursi, President of Lip Smacking Food ToursDelivering a stellar experience that exceeds expectations should be the benchmark for every single tour, no matter the number of guests. Business doesn’t get off the ground in large groups, Contursi reminds. Starting small and “delivering the product the same way it should be each and every time” is how you grow.

Even if it’s only two people you have booked for the tour, don’t cancel. Show those two people an amazing time, and they’ll go and tell 10 more people about it.

5. What To Look For In A Guide

When exploring a new area, no statement is more compelling to out-of-towners than “this is where the locals go.” At Walks of New York, local guides are handpicked for their expertise and passion, guaranteeing guests an insider's view of the Big Apple.Leverage the power of firsthand knowledge by hiring guides with (1) strong ties to the neighborhoods and cultures featured on different tours, (2) a palpable enthusiasm for celebrating the city and it's culinary scene, and (3) a talent for articulating the story, context and history behind every dish.Having a background in the food and beverage industry is just one component for Contursi. The ideal guide can provide guests with a healthy helping of local insight on other tours, activities, an additional restaurants to try while visiting the area.

6. Hit The Sweet Spot For Duration: 2.5-3 Hours

The typical duration for most food tours is 2.5-3 hours long. This leaves enough time for customers to enjoy two to four experiences, whether walking to multiple venues or experiencing a series of pairings and tastings.“We don’t want it to be too short where they feel like they’re longing for more, but not stretched out for too long where they’re exhausted,” Contursi notes.

7. Pay Attention To Customer Reviews

We can’t stress it enough: Paying attention to online reviews is worth your time. It shows you're an engaged business. It's an opportunity to build one-on-one relationships with guests. It presents ideas for how to improve or adapt based on popular demand. And perhaps most importantly, it helps customers feel like they've been heard and understood.Read more:10 Ways to Increase Positive ReviewsNegative Travel Reviews: Why They Aren't Necessarily Bad

8. Use An Online Booking System

Having an online booking system like Peek Pro can significantly streamline the reservation process and save you from being glued to the phone all day. Some benefits for food tour operators include...* Customize questions for the checkout flow: Improve and personalize the overall experience by having your customers answer a few questions during the booking process. Ask about meal preferences, allergies, favorite flavors, etc.During checkout, Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Co. asks guests about allergies or dietary restrictions, along with their favorite flavor of chocolate bar. Guests are then treated to a complimentary bar in their favorite flavor at the end of the tour.* Automate emails: Build and customize emails to contain essential tour details, such as when and where to meet, how to get there, what to wear, etc. This helps make expectations clear and increase overall customer satisfaction and retention.* Ask for a review: Customize automated review emails sent after the tour. Make it easy for customers to provide feedback by embedding links to Yelp or Trip Advisor directly in the email.* Sell and manage gift cards: Increase revenue during the holidays and throughout the year.* Easily manage and redeem vouchers: Allow customers to redeem vouchers (like Groupon or Living Social) through the checkout flow. This saves staff’s time while providing an improved checkout process for first-time and returning customers.* Save time & maximize revenue with group discounting: Easily create and manage group discounting.* Share manifest reports: Help your tour guides stay prepared with rosters containing all the important booking details and key information (add-ons, preferences, contact info, etc.) to tailor the customer experience. Tour guides can access these rosters anytime, anywhere from their mobile phones.Whether you specialize in rustic food and farm tours that educate guests on sustainable agriculture and artisan food production, or operate hundreds of eclectic culinary events and experiences across the country, these basic ingredients can help your tour rise to the top of the food chain. Bon Appétit!

As a sports rental company, you’re not just loaning out equipment by the hour—you’re providing customers with an experience.But one of the biggest mistakes rental companies make is not portraying that experience online. For sports rentals, this should start with exciting and inspiring images.Luckily, you don’t need expensive equipment or a professional photographer to take photos from "so-so" to "spectacular." Here are seven easy and effective tricks for taking better photos with your iPhone:

1. Use the Rule of Thirds

One of the easiest but most overlooked photography techniques is the "rule of thirds." It works by placing the object along one of three intersecting lines—the "thirds."The key is to situate primary and secondary focal points along the grid’s intersections..It’s easy to do if you enable the grid on your iPhone camera. Simply...

1. Go to your iPhone's settings
2. Scroll to "Photos & Camera"
3. Enable the camera grid.

Voila! Now the grid will show up automatically, making it easy to practice the rule of thirds.

2. Follow the Action with Burst Mode

Another challenge sports rental companies face is that many of their best images are action shots featuring hard-to-capture movement.The result? Blurry photos that do nothing to boost your brand. The solution? Burst mode. Where photos capture static moments in time, and video captures the action in its entirety, burst mode takes a series of stills that follow a motion.To shoot in burst mode, hold down the shutter button until the phone begins taking continuous shots. You can then view all photos in the series, delete the ones that turn out blurry and post the ones with a real "wow" factor.

Use Burst Mode to take a series of still pictures following a motion. Delete the blurry photos and post the "wow" action shots

3. Switch to Manual Focus

Most of the time, the iPhone's automatic focus is a real lifesaver. But when the camera auto-adjusts to spotlight the wrong thing, it can be a real frustration. Using manual model lets you take control, drawing attention to particular areas within a frame.To switch to manual, just tap the screen and hold on the spot you want to use as the focal point. A small box will appear to confirm your selection. Once it's set where you want it, just snap and go.

4. Lead the Subject with POV Shots

Want to make people online feel like they are experiencing your activity? Shoot from the perspective of the subject.Using point of view, you can help customers imagine what it'll be like to invest in an experience—putting them directly in the driver's (or paddler's) seat.

5. Leave a Mark with Geotagging

iPhone photos will record exactly where a picture is taken, if geotagging is enabled. And while privacy issues are involved when dealing with shots that were snapped in, say, your kitchen, tagging your photos with towns, roads and sites can gain the attention of locals and visitors alike when you're out exploring the world.And if you're wary of geotagging all your pictures, you can always tag your photos on Instagram, which allows you to add them to a photo map or set your business as a permanent location with its own name.

6. Capitalize on Contrast

Even lackluster photos can benefit from an HDR (High Dynamic Range) filter that dramatically improves detail.When getting ready to take a photo, HDR is at the top left of the camera app. Choose Auto, On, or Off. It works best when a picture has contrasting colors with areas of brightness and darkness, giving an epic feel to any image.Bonus: Didn't think to turn on HDR? Running your photos through filters can give them the same magical quality. Two of our faves are Snapseed and eyeEm.

7. Pair inspirational copy with inviting photos

Whether sharing your photos on Instagram, Facebook, or your own website, think about how the text can complement and add excitement to your image.Add excitement to your photos by including text with action words, authentic emotion and, yes, exclamation points (but try not to go overboard).Wondering how to get started on social media? Take a look at our 10 Social Media Marketing Tips for Tour and Activity Operators.Remember, you’re selling an experience! Pictures convey the excitement and value of offered services. Get out there, get your iPhone ready and make the next photos you post spectacular.

Cauldron Skittles aren't the only goodies in store this October. With a few tricks, turning the Halloween season into a treat for your tour or activity business is as easy as polishing off an entire bag of Mini Snickers while watching "Young Frankenstein."The spooky season presents a number of ways to generate extra revenue, even if fall is your slow time of year. You don't need a giant pumpkin-sized budget to get the attention of new and existing customers—try these 10 creative Halloween marketing campaign ideas instead.

1. Run a Halloween-themed promotion

Whether you promote a "monster sale" or create Halloween-themed promo codes using words like "trick" or "treat," select a few tours and activities to be eligible for a discount through October 31. For instance, Travelocity runs Halloween-themed campaigns each year with big savings on certain hotel bookings. Pro tip: Travelocity's promotions typically last a few days or weeks, which creates a sense of urgency and prompts customers to book quickly. Generate additional buzz about your promotions by sharing them on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, coupled with an email blast to all customers in your database.

2. Add some spook to your experience

'Tis the time of year for unique, after-dark experiences—take advantage of it!If you host any type of outdoor excursion or activity, turn Halloween night (or the Saturday closest to it) into a special event. For instance, San Francisco Fire Engine Tours runs a spooky tour through the Presidio District every October. Do you offer guided hikes? Kayak/SUP excursions? Sightseeing tours? Brainstorm ways to put a "spooky" or "autumn" twist on your experience. Invite people to dress up. Share scary stories. Serve pumpkin-flavored treats along the way. 'Tis the time of year for unique, after-dark experiences—take advantage of it!

3. Run a social media costume contest

There are certain things you can count on in life, and Halloween is no exception. Every year, Trader Joe's will roll out a gargantuan inventory of pumpkin-spice flavored goods (yes, we're excited about it). ABC Family will play "Hocus Pocus" at least a thousand times. Someone you know will put their baby in a pumpkin and take a bunch of pictures. And people will get really, really excited about dressing up. Time to tap into that costume fervor.Consider hosting a costume contest with prizes, and make it easy for guests to participate via social media. Simply ask them to post a costume picture to their Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account (you can keep the contest open to multiple channels, or just one), tag @[your company] in the post, and use a specific hashtag that you came up with. Once the contest is over, post submissions to your company's Facebook page and ask for votes from fans, or simply select a winner privately and make an announcement around Halloween. Take a look at how HootSuite executed its costume contest: They asked entrants to snap a picture and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #OwlWeen as part of the entry process.Consider dedicating a page of your website to showcasing costume images that your customers tagged you in. This allows guests to browse and enjoy the online event before and after Halloween revelries. Social media contests connect you with customers, build your social following and even generate some search traffic if contest results are posted directly on your website.

Ask customers to participate in a social media contest, like posting their Halloween costume with a special hashtag

4. Hold an open house with a fall or Halloween theme

Turn any open space in your calendar into an opportunity to host an open house event, introducing your business to locals and travelers for the season. This can help attract new clientele and promote your business to locals in a relaxed and informal way. Consider hosting a giveaway or series of raffle prizes that include tickets to your tour or activity at a later date, or offering special booking rates for all open house attendees.

5. Throw or sponsor a party

If you've hit your slowest season of the year, think outside the box to generate some revenue, such as hosting a Halloween party at your business location or by becoming a major sponsor for a larger event in the area. Promote the party on all social media channels and get it listed on community websites so locals know you're hosting one of the biggest bashes of the year. Create a Facebook event for the party to help generate interest, and send event invites to business and personal contacts.

6. Entice subscribers with virtual trick-or-treat bags

Have some fun with your email marketing over the Halloween season by running a themed campaign enticing recipients to open their email for a "trick or treat." Those who receive a "treat" might get a deep discount on their next booking or a special offer, such as buy one ticket, get one free. The "trick" email could contain playful, creative content such as a digital postcard. Create a teaser headline to increase the email open rate, and run this campaign for several weeks leading up to Halloween to engage subscribers. Promote the trick-or-treat bags on your website with a simple message that states, "subscribe now for your FREE trick-or-treat bag."

7. Host a Halloween flash sale throughout October

Flash sales are a great way to prompt quick bookings. Drum up more business on those slow weekends or over Halloween week by dropping prices on certain tour and activity packages for a few hours at a time. Make sure to promote these heavily across all social media channels, and send out an alert to your email subscriber list so customers can look forward to the sale.

8. Offer free tickets to Halloween events in the community

Dedicate a portion of your marketing budget this holiday season to purchasing a certain number of tickets to local events, such as Halloween parties, pumpkin festivals, craft fairs, Oktoberfests, etc. Offer these tickets as a free gift for all bookings completed by Halloween. It could help fill empty spots on the calendar, and also encourage the event organizer to promote your business on their end.

9. Offer Autumn weekend packages with multiple activities

Inspire travelers to make the most of their experience by staying the entire Halloween weekend and booking more than one tour or activity with your company. Promote a "Halloween getaway" or "Halloween weekend escape" on your website with recommendations on where to stay, other activities in the area, and tips on where to eat. Paint the location as an ideal retreat destination—with your company's experiences as the highlights. Offer complementary add-ons that might sway travelers to book more than one activity at a time, such as instructor-led sessions before a kayaking excursion, one-on-one time with a chef during a food tour, a horseback ride with optional wine tasting afterwards, etc.

10. Promote gift cards or gift certificates

Lasso your share of early bird shoppers by encouraging them via email, social media and on your website to purchase gift cards before the holiday season officially begins. When it comes to gift cards in general, consider the benefits of an online booking software that can simplify both the purchasing and redemption process.The leaves might be falling, but your business momentum doesn't have to. Try some of these Halloween marketing tricks, and see how they treat you!

Let's be honest. No one likes negative reviews. And while Estaban Kolsky of ThinkJar, says that 13% of dissatisfied customers will tell 15 or more people, negative online reviews can be even more damaging—and have a more lasting impact than word-of-mouth.Escape room players leave negative reviews for a variety of reasons—some might not finish the game, others might find broken game pieces and still others might not find the room ready on time. But whatever the reason for a subpar review, you can improve the customer's experience by replying to the review.Here are a few of our favorite ways to reply to reviews:

Tough first impression? Ask for a second chance.

No one said that playing an escape room is supposed to be easy. Many players will not finish the game in the time allowed. If the game is too hard, players can leave with a bruised ego, while if the game is too easy, players can feel like they didn't get the best experience. It's a delicate balance to achieve.Read Kenny C.'s review of X-Room Real Life Escape Room on YelpAs a first time player, Kenny didn't know what to expect, but he describes in detail how the room master flat-out told his team the answers, leaving Kenny and his friends with a negative first-time gaming experience. Kai, the owner of X-Room Real Life Escape Room, responds to Kenny with an honest apology for his subpar experience and asks him to come back and give them another shot.We love this because Kai honestly expresses his own disappointment with Kenny's experience. He even goes one step further by asking Kenny what day he came in—letting Kenny know that he will do more research on what went wrong.

Respond to negative reviews with a genuine apology and ask them to come back to improve their view of your business

No one's perfect. Ask why only 4/5 stars.

One way to gain valuable feedback from your customers is to ask for more feedback on why they didn't give your business a perfect rating.Jamie, an avid Yelp reviewer, gave Adventure Vault 4/5 stars on Yelp. Everything is positive in her review, so it's hard to tell why she gave the business only four stars. So, the owner did the easiest thing—asked her. This kind of interaction shows that the owner is actively reading reviews and is open to feedback on how to improve.Read Jamie C.'s review of Adventure Vault on Yelp

Create return bookings by thanking positive reviewers.

Big Sky Breakout does a great job of thanking their positive reviewers. They have 35 reviews, all 5-stars, on their Facebook page and they have thanked almost every one. Big Sky Breakout makes a point of not only thanking their reviewers but also inviting them back. What a great way to engage directly with their customers and create return bookings. Love it!Responding to reviews, negative or positive, is a great way to improve your customer's experience and help gain return bookings. Remember, today's reviewers can lead to tomorrow's bookings.

As a business owner, the way you respond to negative reviews can have a big impact on your bottom line. What some miss, though, is how much positive reviews contribute to a customer’s purchase decision. More than 72% of respondents in a local business survey said positive reviews make them trust a business more. Research shows customers spend up to 31% more on a business with excellent reviews.These statistics demonstrate it’s high time for tour and activity operators to be more proactive in encouraging positive reviews, especially given these eye-opening figures: 83% of satisfied customers are willing to refer a product or service, but only 29% actually do.Here are five easy ways to encourage positive reviews.

1. Ask for Reviews On Site

The best time to ask for a review is while the activity is fresh in your customer’s mind. Get them before they sit in traffic on the way home, sleep on it and go to work the next day. The happy memories get more out-of-focus with every minute that passes.If possible, have a tablet or computer handy with review sites loaded up and ready (like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and your business’ Facebook page). If that’s not feasible, ask customers to visit a specific site and write a quick review with their smartphone. Just the act of verbally asking for a review can be enough to get people inspired.

2. Send a Follow-Up Email

A week or so after the activity, send an email to your customer. Let them know your goal is to create the best experience possible, and that you value their feedback. Thank them again for coming, and provide links to places they can write a review. With online booking software, you can automate these emails to make sure you reach everyone in a timely fashion.

Send a follow-up email to thank your customer and ask for feedback (with links to review sites)

3. Offer an Incentive

Of course, it wouldn’t be appropriate to bribe a customer for a positive review. But offering a small incentive for writing a review (regardless of its tone) is different—the goal is to get feedback, not to game the system. Encourage people to participate by offering a discount on a future booking, or running a monthly contest where writing a review is the entry ticket.

4. Respond to Reviews

Show customers that you’re available to talk by responding personally to each review. It’s a good idea to make accounts on review sites so you can create a dialog. And, of course, respond to messages on Facebook and Twitter as promptly as possible.You don’t need to be present 24/7—it’s OK to post hours of operation on your Facebook page. Just strive to be responsive when you can be. When your future customers see you read and consider reviews, they’ll be more likely to write their own.

5. Promote Great Reviews (and Reviewers)

A little recognition goes a long way to developing a community of enthusiastic reviewers. Let your past, present and future customers know you value their input. You can feature great reviews on your social media pages and your website, and give a shout-out to the reviewer by name.When a customer has a negative experience, they won’t hesitate to let you know. But the ones who have a great time most likely need a little encouragement to write their review. It’s important to encourage a dialog with customers on either side of the spectrum, to resolve negative reviews and cultivate an environment of positive feedback.