Why You Should Ask For Reviews

Why You Should Ask For Reviews

If you’re looking to win more jobs, you’re likely already marketing your business online. There are countless ways you can get the word out to your internet audience, but sometimes, it’s best to let your customers do the work for you.

Online reviews are valuable to the prospective customer. They are a trusted source of recommendation that are easier to access now more than ever. Often, a customer will leave a review after they’ve had a poor experience or feel something was not done to satisfaction. You can change this by asking happy customers to leave their reviews.

If you’re ready to start generating more reviews from happy customers, it’s time to win more jobs! Sign up for CraftJack today and start receiving leads from homeowners in your area.

BrightLocal Survey Results Positive Reviews

Why Reviews Matter

People trust online reviews, both negative and positive. In BrightLocal’s 2016 Local Consumer Review survey, they found that 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. For pros, that is a high number to consider.

The survey reports that 54% of people will visit the business’ website after reading positive reviews. This is one step closer to the lead you want. These positive reviews are invaluable, so the best thing you can do is ask for them! According to the survey, 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a business a review if they’re asked. These positive reviews reflect on the trustworthiness of your business and can help you land the job, without doing much additional work. It’s really that simple!

Using Social Media For Reviews

Where You Can Find Reviews

Before you start asking for reviews, it’s a good idea to see where reviews of your business exist and what people are saying, if you haven’t looked already. One important statistic to know is that 63% of customers use a search engine to find online reviews, while 37% go directly to a review site to find reviews, according to the BrightLocal survey. Consider this when you’re asking for reviews.

Yelp is often a first stop for customer reviews. Keep in mind, using an incentive for customers to leave a review here will result in the review being removed. But you can simply ask them.

Facebook is another place you can find and host reviews. If you have a company Facebook page, there is a section where customers can leave their own reviews and star rating. These reviews are easy for people to leave as they just need to have a Facebook account.

If you have a Google My Business account, you should be aware that reviews will show up in your listing. This is a great place to direct your customers to leave a review as it is the first thing that is seen by anyone who may search for your company on Google.

Of course, these are just a few popular places that a review can be left online. Look for your trade in your area online and see where else customers may be leaving reviews and where you might gain more leads.

BrightLocal Survey Results Online Reviews

How Should You Ask?

It can be nerve-wracking if you’re planning to ask a happy customer for a review. But with a few ways to ask, you have a few chances to remind them to do so.

After The Job

One of the best ways to ask for a review is face-to-face. The opportune time to do so is right after a job is completed. You’ll know if the customer is satisfied and can ask them directly to leave them a review.

Leave Behind Materials

After you’ve asked them face-to-face, you can leave behind a flier or small business card directing the customer to where they can leave you a review. This not only helps guide them to the proper place, but it also serves as a reminder. While there are a few costs associated with these materials, such as printing and designing, you will see a payoff in the leads you can generate from positive reviews.

Email Marketing

As a follow-up for all your previous customers, consider sending them a reminder via email to give you a review. While this is less personal, you’ll reach more of your audience. You can even consider doing this every few months or so and integrating a reminder into your email marketing plan.

CraftJack Lead Manager

If you’re using Lead Manager, it’s easy to send the homeowner a message requesting a review. To see exactly how you can do this and start generating more reviews, read How To Immediately Request a Review With Your CraftJack Lead Manager.

Contractor Reviews

Responding To Your Reviews

While we hope that all reviews are positive, there may be a few negative ones. Regardless of what the customer is saying, it’s important to respond professionally. Try to clear up any miscommunication and confusion, as well as try to understand what you can do to fix the situation. Not only will this make the upset customer happy, but it will show to others reading that you are attentive to homeowner needs.

Positive reviews should also be responded to. This helps generate loyal customers. Thank them for their kind review and let them know you’re there for their next home improvement project. This personal touch will help them remember your business the next time they need a pro.

Conclusion

For pros in any trade, online reviews are an important tool in generating leads and there’s data to prove it. If you’re not asking for reviews, you could be missing out on new and repeat business. Utilize some of these tactics to ask for reviews and watch them grow!