Have you ever experienced purchasing a product online and choosing a business with more reviews from customers than with other online sellers offering lower prices but fewer solid reviews? Most likely the answer is yes.
In this digital age, consumers are relying more on reviews, as much as on recommendations from peers or family members.
The importance of reviews can be narrowed down to one word – trust. We could also throw in brand reputation. Consumers want to purchase a product or a service from a company that they feel they won’t need to gamble, and reviews will be a good basis to know if their experience will be satisfactory.
Our focus is reviews, but this doesn’t mean that other factors should be excluded, like customer service, good communication, professionalism, price, and more, after getting that viable lead because of good reviews. But when it comes to reviews, they will most likely contain insights or a peek of those other factors, which will further solidify the decision-making of a client to get your service.
In addition to building trust, here are the other reasons why reviews are a must for your contractor business:
- It showcases you as an expert in your field or industry – the review will be one of your “social proofs” that you are able to deliver great service in your past projects. This then gives you a competitive edge against other local competition and will surely build up brand confidence.
- It serves as a marketing tool with no cost – many contractors, especially small companies, do not have the budget for a marketing campaign. Having positive reviews, especially 5-star ones will serve as a way to market your products or services without having to spend at all. It sends a message to your target audience and showcases what you can do -exactly what campaigns are for.
- Product reviews can improve SEO and make it easier for customers to find you – as you add fresh reviews regularly to your page, it shows Google that your page is active and constantly updated. When customers also search for example “plumbers in my area”, and “electricians near me”, you’ll start ranking more with Google viewing you as an established and credible presence.
- More reviews could mean more sales – as mentioned above, positive reviews will surely attract more leads. More leads mean a higher possibility of closing more sales.
So the next question will be, how can you earn a glowing 5-Star review?
- Give your customers a compelling reason to do so – how? Ensure that you have provided a great service that is worth the positive review. It’s the Law of Reciprocity. If customers have a positive experience working with you and even felt your company doing the extra mile, it will be easier for them to take the time and leave a review. After each project or even in between, genuinely assess if you have done a stellar job. If the answer is no, do not attempt to ask for a review (you will surely get a negative one), and instead work on improving the quality of your service.
- Ask for it – the reality is, even if you have done a fantastic job, not all customers will not automatically leave a positive review. This underscores how important it is to directly ask them. Also, make sure to use the right words. Be genuine and polite. And while asking, don’t forget to also ask if there are possible issues, if yes, assure them that you will work on it (and really do it). They will surely be extra thankful for that.
- It’s all about the timing – aside from directly asking for it, timing matters. If the project has been done for about a month or so, forget it. The best time to ask for a customer review is as soon as possible. Contact them within hours or even right after you have done the project. Again, just ensure that they had a positive experience with your company. So grab the opportunity at the peak of customer happiness and satisfaction, thank them for the opportunity to work with them, and ask them if they could also leave a positive review.
- Don’t be embarrassed to give a gentle nudge – if they promised to leave a review and haven’t done so, you can give them a gentle reminder. Do a follow-up first to ensure that there are no issues with the project, if none, proceed to ask them.
