Reputation is one of the most important, if not the most important, assets to a business. Providing exceptional work and service isn’t enough. In the online world today, it’s easy for a dissatisfied customer to leave a bad review which can negatively impact your reputation. Here are a few tips on how to properly manage your online reputation:
Bring Up the Importance of Reviews in the Sales Process
When first meeting with a client, ask if they’ve seen your website or looked you up online. If they say no, encourage them to view your website, or wherever you showcase your previous work.
If your business has high ratings online, whether it be on Google, your company website, or social media, including a link to it in your emails to clients will show them that reviews are important to your business. Additionally, you could send out mid-project surveys to further understand your clients’ thoughts during the project. Clients may not want to say something negative to you on the phone or in person, so a survey is a better and more comfortable option for them.
Such surveys would also allow your company to address issues as they happen and improve them right away. This ensures happy clients at the end of the project which can lead to positive reviews. After a project, don’t hesitate to send a follow-up survey, which can be structured similarly to the mid-project survey, to receive their feedback. After the survey, you can then solicit reviews from your clients through email including the direct link.
Bad Reviews
Bad reviews are inevitable, however, how you handle them can make a big difference. Since a high quantity of positive reviews can outweigh the negative effects of a bad review, it’s important to maintain relationships with previous clients.
You can also have subcontractors and employees write reviews of your company to help create a positive image. This shows that the company cares about its employees, and could possibly attract new hires.
Future of Reviews
More and more consumers continue to rely on online reviews when making purchasing decisions for products, and is spreading into services consumers purchase as well. This, and the fact that young, tech-savvy contractors will be entering the workforce in the near future, is why it’s crucial for current businesses to proactively manage their online presence.
When applying to become a dealer with Foundation Finance, we do consider your online reputation in our review process. If you think your current business is lacking in this area, we hope you can improve it with these tips.
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