(And your future customers are listening to them.)
In a 2024 survey by BrightLocal, 75% of respondents shared that they always or regularly checked out the reviews of a local business before making a purchase decision. 22% of respondents occasionally read reviews, and only 2% of respondents never read reviews.
What does that mean for you?
It means that what your customers are saying is important. It’s time for you to take action and build positive reviews from a variety of sources to build trust and credibility in your brand.
And the good news? You don’t have to be in marketing to do that.
Here are a few tips to help you build a positive review base (and what you should do if you receive a negative review!)
1 – Take Initiative and Ask
Life is busy, and even if you’ve delivered with excellent service, most customers won’t think to leave a review. So, when you do hear from a satisfied customer, take initiative and ask for a review.
2 – Make it Easy
Your customers will be much more likely to leave a review if you do the leg work for them. Make it easy by providing a link or QR code to your Google Reviews page or preferred review platform.
- Send a follow-up email after the project is completed – the customer will appreciate knowing that you care, and it’s easy to include a review link there.
- At a tradeshow? Have a QR code available for past customers to scan and leave a review.
Did you know that Google is the most popular review site? Over 80% of review-checkers go to Google first.
3 – Negative Review? Don’t forget to reply!
Unfortunately, customers are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one, which means that negative reviews happen to all of us. However, a genuine reply to the negative review can leave a positive impression! (These tips are also useful if you have an angry customer onsite or in the office!)
- Listen to their complaint. It’s easy to get defensive, but take the time to listen to their frustration – even if you don’t believe it’s valid.
- If you made a mistake, acknowledge it and apologize. Don’t blame the next person and don’t blame the customer! At the same time, you don’t have to take responsibility for a problem that wasn’t your fault.
- Share your solution and invite them to reach out directly. Provide the best email or phone number in your response so they know exactly how to reach you.
We hope that these tips help you establish a solid reputation in your service area. Share your thoughts on this email by replying directly to marketing@diamonddoors.com or calling 866-325-7600. We look forward to hearing from you!
