Word-of-mouth referrals are incredibly important to your business, right? If your business is like most system integrators, the answer to this question is an emphatic “yes.” Online reviews are like word-of-mouth 2.0, and if you haven’t focused on getting more of them, then you need to. Why?
Well, let’s jump into five compelling reasons why you need more online reviews.
1. You can easily differentiate your business from the competition.
I just did a search for home theater installation in three different markets. The majority of integrators I found in the search have less than 10 reviews. Think about all the past clients you haven’t requested reviews from. Don’t you think you can get more than 10 reviews pretty quickly?
I know you can! When you have more reviews than your competition (and a high-quality rating), there is a much higher likelihood you will get the call first.
Also by Tim Fitzpatrick: How to Build Credibility and Trust
2. Online reviews help build trust and confidence.
When people see and read the comments of past clients who have had a great experience, it helps reinforce their belief that you can help them. We all choose to do business with people we know, like, and trust.
Your online reviews will be an incredible force in building the trust part of this equation.
3. You’ll improve your search engine rankings.
According to a 2018 study from Moz, online reviews account for 15.44 percent of the Google Local Pack (the map search results) ranking factors, and they account for 6.47 percent of the local organic search ranking factors.
No one thing will catapult your business to the top of search engine rankings; it’s a combination of elements, and online reviews must be part of it.
4. You gain valuable insight into your business.
One of the first concerns people ask me when I mention online reviews is, “What if I get a bad review?” My answer is always the same, “That’s great!” Bad reviews are great for a few reasons.
- Bad reviews lend credibility to all your positive reviews. No one expects you to be perfect, and if all your reviews are five stars, people will start to wonder whether your reviews are real.
- Bad reviews allow you to make the situation better. What’s worse, the customer who is vocal about their complaints or the one who tells everyone behind your back? The one complaining behind your back is a killer, and you won’t even know it’s happening!
When someone expresses their displeasure, they are giving you the opportunity to fix it. If you take the time to read both your positive and negative reviews, you will start to understand why people love doing business with you, what problems you solved for them, and where you can improve. This is invaluable information for your marketing and your business.
5. You can generate more leads.
Did you know that 68 percent of consumers are more likely to use a local business with positive reviews?
All of the reasons I’ve listed above have culminated to this one. In the end, your marketing efforts should result in the growth of your business. Online reviews will generate more leads for your business and will be the gift that keeps on giving.
Do you see how online reviews can really help your business? I hope so!
Now what? Now it’s time to get more reviews.
The first task you need to check off your list is to implement a step in your after-sales process to request a review from every customer you work with.
Also by Tim Fitzpatrick: Recipe for Online Success
You want to make it as easy as possible for customers to leave you a review. This can be as simple as sending out an email with links directly to your Google My Business review page (or the other review channels that are important for your business) after you complete a job.
Get started today, and I guarantee you will see your online reviews grow month after month.
