Chances are when you’re checking out a new business, one of the first things you do is go online to read their reviews. You’re not alone: Just about all of your potential customers are doing the same with your business. According to a recent survey*:

• 98% of customers look at online reviews for local businesses when making a purchase decision
• Almost 50% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• Service businesses like yours are among the top industries where people see business reviews as most important – 55% of those surveyed said reviews for service businesses and tradespeople were “very important,” while an additional 29% said reviews were “important”
• 87% of people use Google to research local businesses, up from 63% in 2020

A good number of recent, candid positive reviews are social proof that your business is trustworthy and reliable, while too many negative reviews can steer potential customers away. Plus, reviews provide a constant stream of positive content that can help push your business to the top of search results and create “snippets” of information for Google to present to local searchers. Almost two-thirds of customers will leave a review when asked – so it’s important to have a process in place to get those reviews coming in. Here’s how you can get started:

       1. Start by claiming and optimizing your business listing on major review sites – including Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, Angie’s List, etc. Make sure your information is accurate and up-to-date, including your website, phone number, hours of operation and services offered. To make your listings more robust, add photos and videos of your offices, team and completed jobs.

       2. Train your team to ask for reviews. Your entire staff should understand how important reviews are to your company! Train the whole crew on how to request reviews in a polite, professional manner, at the right time. They can be your best ambassadors as they are on the front lines with your customers every day.

       3. Send out follow-up emails requesting reviews. This is commonly the most effective way to get customers to leave reviews, even more so than being asked in person. While some customers will be proactive and leave great reviews without prompting, for most, it’s not top of mind – but if they’re happy with your service, they’ll be happy to leave a good review when prompted. After service, send an email to the customer thanking them for their business and asking them to leave a review. Make it easy for them by including links to your listings on review sites and providing clear instructions.

       4. Display your reviews on your website and social media. Once those great reviews start rolling in, you can use them to help market your business beyond the usual review sites. Sharing them on social media and displaying them on your website as customer testimonials will help build credibility and trust with potential customers!

       5. Respond to every review. You’re bound to get at least a couple of negative reviews – and believe it or not, this can be a good thing. A business with nothing but five-star positive reviews can look suspicious to potential customers. Some of them will actually seek out negative reviews both to see what they say, and how you respond to them. Responding to every review, positive and negative, shows that you are engaged with your customers and willing to address concerns in a professional manner. In fact, almost 90% of customers surveyed said that it was important to them that a business responds to all customer reviews -- and customers are more than twice as likely to consider doing business with you if they can see you actively and authentically responding to reviews.

The bottom line: Reviews are one of the most important (and cost-effective) ways for you to market your business effectively. They provide meaningful social proof, make you easier to find in search results and have a major effect on most potential customers’ purchasing decisions.

Looking to build up your portfolio of reviews? We provide a roadmap in our free, interactive Marketing Strategy workbook. Download your copy here and get started! 

*(source: https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/)