A simple, personal system for getting more reviews, plus a smart tip for leaving them.
Anyone can say they’re good at what they do and anyone can build a website that says it, too. What potential customers want is proof from other people. That’s social proof and, for most small businesses, it comes down to online reviews. Reviews do two big jobs: they help your business rank higher in search results and they help you close jobs. Tom Breslawski has had plenty of calls from new customers who said they read the reviews and knew they had to go with him. Reviews have come up at NRG a lot lately and it’s worth repeating: we should all be asking for them.
He shared the system that works for him. Every week or two, when things slow down, he looks back at the customers he’s worked with recently and texts each one. His software lets him pull up a client’s number in one click. He pastes in a short pre-written message, swaps in the customer’s name and it reads like a personal note asking for a favor. Because he’s usually met these clients in person, the request feels natural and the response rate is strong. His biggest takeaway is that text beats email. People see a text right away, while an email can sit unread for days. He also tries never to wait more than two weeks after a job, while the experience is still fresh.
Tom ended with a tip about leaving reviews. He keeps two Google accounts, one for his business and one personal, and uses the personal one when he reviews other businesses. If he ever has to leave something less than five stars, nobody can retaliate against his business, because the review isn’t tied to it. It’s a small step that protects your reputation. And, of course, we can all build up our numbers by leaving reviews for each other.
Today’s Marketing Minute is brought to you by Tom Breslawski of Vesta Home Inspections.
Image created with Magnific.