Why Reviews Matter & How To Use Them To Win More Jobs
Over 80% of customers choose a business based on reviews. These days, highly-rated businesses are massively favoured by online algorithms — and they win big because of it.
Studies have even shown that good reviews can influence a customer’s decision even more than factors like price, so they’re directly tied to how much profit you can make as a business.
In this article, we’ll explain how online reviews can help your business, and show you how to use the ones you have to showcase your expertise and become the #1 choice for customers in your local area.
How reviews help customers find and choose you
1. Better visibility through Google searches
Google wants to connect its users (web searchers) with the best products, services, and information out there. Reviews (both quantity and quality) are one of the main ways it does this.
For example, if you are to search “heating engineer in cambridge”, Google shows local results that include a map with 3 highly-rated businesses it thinks could help you out.
Each of these businesses being displayed has claimed something called their Google Business Profile, which is a way for you to list your business on Google. It’s where reviews are held alongside other key business info like addresses, opening hours, and more.
How to set up your Google Business Profile
Businesses with lots of good reviews are more likely to show up in these results. These three businesses get the lion’s share of attention from potential customers, because once a customer sees what they need, they stop looking.
The same theory applies on lead gen websites like Checkatrade. In fact, they say that getting between 11-20 reviews on their site can double your conversion rate with them.
2. A way to differentiate from competitors
Compared to product-driven businesses, it’s a little harder for service businesses to stand out from the competition and do something unique.
Which of these businesses would you choose to service your boiler?
Most customers browsing online will quickly skim through listings. Since Google, Checkatrade, and other sites will show local results, ratings and reviews are the quickest and easiest thing to compare.
3. Offer customers an insight into your service quality
If nothing else, reviews a way for you to understand what your customers think of your service quality. Are they happy with your workmanship? Your customer service? What do you do perfectly and what could you be doing better?
Quality over and quantity
Having good reviews is the most important thing for your business. But having more good reviews? Even better.
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The Review Mistake Costing Tradespeople Thousands
How to use your reviews to get even more customers
1. Respond to & manage reviews
Responding to every review you get, but try to avoid copy and pasting the same response for every review.
For potential customers reading the reviews, this shows that you’re an active listener and business that truly cares about its customers. It will also help you rank higher on Google search results.
2. Post happy testimonials on your social media
If you’ve been working on marketing, quoting reviews or using them as testimonials is an ideal source of content. Just be sure to ask if they’re okay with you posting it.
3. Add reviews to your website
Adding your reviews onto your website as social proof is a great way to double up on a single review. It adds credibility and trust to your brand and can be all that’s needed to convince a customer to ring up or request a callback.
You can also add little review widgets to your site, like Arton Plumbing & Heating has done with Trustpilot:
What happens if you get a bad review?
A bad review is not the end of the world. Even the best business will get a negative review from time to time, mostly because of a misunderstanding.
Our podcast with Ryan Nesbitt from Revyoo perfectly covered what to do with negative reviews.
The biggest mistakes are rushing in, taking things personally, and responding negatively – there are no winners.
Instead, you should use them as an opportunity. Respond politely and helpfully (even if they’ve been unfairly rude), and try to offer a genuine solution to the problem. Engaging in a virtual argument in a public space presents your business in an extremely negative light, even if the customer is in the wrong.
Tip: Try to inject some personality into your responses, or you could end up sounding like an automated reply.
Remember, an average rating of 5/5 isn’t necessarily the best thing to have. As you start to get more reviews (we’re talking 30-50+), a rating of 4.8 or 4.9 has proven to be more effective as it appears more genuine and trustworthy.
How to guarantee you get good reviews
The simplest and most effective way to get good reviews is simply to make your customers genuinely happy. This means following all the basics of good customer service.
Use Gas Engineer Software to get more reviews & more work
A streamlined workflow with Gas Engineer Software leaves you with more time to focus on getting the job done.
And, with happier customers, you’re more likely to get referrals, reviews, and more work.
Try Gas Engineer Software for free:
