Online reviews have become the new “word of mouth.”
This guide will help you understand how Reputation Management works, so you can grow your Business
A recent survey revealed that over 90% of customers read online reviews before considering a business, and 88% of customers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. So the question becomes, how can you use customer reviews to increase your business’s online reputation?
Provide Excellent Service
It probably seems obvious, but the single most effective way to generate 5-star reviews is to deliver 5-star service. This doesn’t start once a contract with your customer is signed, but starts with making a customer-centric process. This means customer’s phone calls and emails are answered quickly, their questions are answered, deadlines are met, budgets are kept, and the customer experience is at the center of your business process.
Make it Easy for Your Customers to Leave Reviews
Just asking for a review after doing a great job isn’t enough. Customers are busy, and they forget about leaving a review as soon as your crew leaves the worksite. A good Reputation Management Solution can send your customer a follow-up text after a job is completed asking for a review.
The best part is customers are already logged into their Google, Yelp, Bing, etc accounts so they’re only a click away from leaving you a review.
Filter out Negative Reviews
Not all customers are going to leave a 5-star review, so it’s important to still give them a place to leave feedback without the review going public. A Reputation Management Solution that sends them a “Rate us from 1-10” text, and only sending a link to leave a review is a great way to get honest feedback from your business.
The happy customers who rate you 8 or above get a link to leave a public review, while those who rate lower still have a place to share their experience, even if it wasn’t a positive one. This also gives you an opportunity to make the situation right and turn a negative into a positive before they leave a public review.
Market Your Business Using Reviews
Once you gathered a hefty number of good reviews, the smart thing to do is to include those reviews on your website. Most major review platforms have widgets you can put on your webpage so customers browsing can see reviews for your business without having to go to another site. If your website is user friendly, your reviews are good and easy to find, your customer won’t feel the need to go anywhere else and increases your chances of earning their business.
The Solution to Reputation Management
Fuel your marketing with customer-generated content. Showcase reviews to reap the benefits of SEO and enhanced search results helping you compete on search engine results pages and win new customers to grow your revenue.