How Your Business Can Get More 5-Star Reviews

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Ever wonder how to get more reviews for your home contractor business? This post was created just for you.

Learn why online reviews are so important today and how to ask your customers for them. Get tips on how to get more 5-star reviews. Plus, read expert advice you can use right away as you begin a new campaign to boost reviews for your contracting business.

Why Online Reviews Matter for Contractors

These days, homeowners use the internet to find all kinds of services, including remodeling and home renovation. Studies show more than half of consumers used online searches before scheduling these services:

Decks and patios (60%)
Home remodeling (65%)
Roofing (62%)
Fencing (57%)

A major component of online search results is online reviews. These come from sites like Google, Yelp, Houzz, etc.

That means it’s essential for contractors to leverage their reviews and ratings in order to bring in new business. And new clients are vital to balance out repeat customers. After all, there are only so many times someone can renovate their home!

Online reviews have nearly replaced conventional advertising in gaining users’ trust. This is because traditional advertising comes from the company itself, whereas reviews come from local people just like them.

To get good reviews for your contractor business, you may have to overcome a few hurdles:

People are busy today and have limited time.
Some customers forget to leave reviews.
Clients may not be tech-savvy or familiar with review sites.
Customers may not know where to give you a review.

But the fact remains that having lots of reviews brings multiple benefits to your business:

The more reviews you have, the less influential a few poor ratings are.
Many reviews lend your company an image of stability and reliability.
An abundance of positive reviews helps with converting prospects to actual customers.

When and How to Ask for Reviews

Collecting reviews is more effective when approached methodically. Therefore, you need to develop a review strategy before reaching out to clients.

Think about your own experience as a client. Have you ever left a review for a service provider before? If so, was it easier when the results were still fresh in your mind?

If you’re like most folks, the answer is yes. So, you ideally want to approach customers for a review right after you have successfully completed a service for them. Take advantage of that honeymoon period when they’re still thrilled with their new kitchen or bathroom.

Notice the word “successfully” above. Always wait until you have fixed any problems before asking for that review.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Reduce Late Payments for Contractors

The next best time to ask for a review is if they respond to a social media post vouching for your work. For instance, a customer might respond to a Facebook community post from a neighbor looking for a trustworthy contractor.

That’s the moment to ask them to make their support public. You might email: “Thank you for recommending us to so-and-so. If you have a minute, we’d love to have you leave a review on Google so others can see it.”

Other ways you can ask for reviews:

Sprinkled in your social media feeds
Periodic email campaigns
Quarterly newsletters
Automated text message campaigns

Strategies to Get More 5-Star Reviews for Your Business

What’s the best way to get 5-star reviews? There’s no shortcut; you have to do the best job possible to earn your 5 stars. That means:

Showing up on time every time
Completing the job in the time allotted
Not leaving a mess at the worksite
Sticking to the estimated budget
Finishing the work to high standards
Being a resource for your clients
Returning calls and messages promptly
Rectifying any issues ASAP
Ensuring employees reflect your brand

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Get More Google Reviews: 5 Strategies for Success

Once you’ve provided 5-star service, the next step is to figure out how to get reviews coming in.

Your first task is to make it easy for your customer to leave a review. Start by giving them the link to your desired review site. You can do this on your invoice/receipt, via email, via text message, or on your business card.

You may have to help customers who aren’t familiar with the process learn how to set up an account or navigate the site. In fact, that’s a great inclusion for a newsletter or blog post.

Should you incentivize customers with a discount or reward in return for a review?

This can be tricky. The general rule of thumb is to always reward the customer for any review, not only a positive one. And you need to state this up front so no one feels pressured to leave a false high review. If prospects think you have bought your reviews, they will no longer be a trusted recommendation.

Optimizing Review Platforms

Another important consideration is where you want your reviews to live. You’ll need to consider the most relevant review platforms for contractors. Here are several notable options:

Google
Yelp
My Business
Houzz
Porch
HomeAdvisor
Thumbtack
Jobber
Angi
Facebook

Should you try to get reviews on all these sites?

No, it’s better to pick one if you are just starting to get reviews. Then you can add a few over time, still not spreading yourself too thin. Remember, it’s better to have lots of reviews on one platform than to have a few reviews on many platforms.

Each one of these platforms is a little different. How do you decide which one is best for your home contractor business?

First, look at where your customer demographic is most likely to hang out and read reviews. Try to find an overlap between that platform and one that’s easy for you to use too. If you’re not sure which sites your customers use, survey them. You might also want to see where your competition is getting reviews.

Can you gently lead customers to providing genuinely positive feedback? Sure. Again, the best way is to capitalize on their satisfaction right after a job’s completion. Ask them point-blank if they are happy with your work and would recommend you to others.

What if you get a negative review?

Don’t panic. Virtually all businesses see these from time to time. Some customers are never happy. And, of course, there is the possibility your work left something to be desired.

Try not to be defensive right off the bat. Always respond to your negative feedback politely, as you would your positive reviews. Thank the customer for giving their opinion and ask how you can remedy the problem. Apologize for the inconvenience to them.

Stay professional, even if the customer is insulting, inflammatory, or downright wrong. Know that it’s okay to write back standing up for your work if you are certain it was done well.

Just know when to call it quits so you don’t come off as argumentative. If you do your job right, that bad review will soon be buried under a bunch of good ones. Customers only care if they see multiple bad reviews, particularly for the same concern.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: A Business Owner’s Guide to Responding to Negative Customer Reviews

6 Quick Tips to Get More Reviews Now

Ready to start getting more reviews for your contractor business now? Here are some expert tips to get started today:

Spend some time on any review sites you are considering. Get familiar with the vibe there and how the review system works. You might find it easier to narrow down your choice with that information.
Train employees to ask for reviews if they are finishing jobs when you’re not present. Let them know how important positive reviews are to the health of the company.
Know the rules for each platform you deal with. Some don’t allow incentivizing reviews. Others require you to add a disclaimer stating the reviewer received some type of compensation for an honest review.
Never pay for positive reviews or fake reviews. It’s just not worth it. Your company’s reputation is on the line, and fraud could ruin it.
There are third-party services that can liaise between you, your customers, and review sites to make getting reviews less work. But you also need to disclose this in your reviews.
Looking at contractor software for general business operations? Think about platforms that integrate reviews and similar marketing. It’s more efficient to have it all in one location.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: 7 Tips for Using Review Management Software to Improve Your Home Services Business

Can Your Business Edit Google Reviews?

Positive reviews win trust. But what should you do when you get a bad review? Can businesses edit Google reviews? Can they delete them? Let's find out.

Tips & Shortcuts for Working with Your iPhone/iPad in the Field

Tips & Shortcuts for working with your iPhone/iPad in the field Congratulations, you’ve started using your iPhone/iPad in your contractor business to work in the field. Here are a few tips and tricks to maximize the effectiveness of using these devices. Shake to “undo”Have you ever accidentally erased a note on your device? Or crucial information about a client? Here’s the perfect tip to get that information back. To “undo” your last action (when typing) simply “shake” your iPhone (yes you make look funny). A popup message will appear with the options “Undo” or “Cancel” tap undo, and you will get all of your information back. Tap to bring to topIf you’ve ever read a really long page perhaps on your safari browser or you’ve scrolled a long way down the screen in an app. Rather than having to scroll slowly back to the top of the screen you can tap the black bar on the absolute top of your iOS screen where it displays the current time. This will auto-scroll the page back up to the top. This is particularly useful on screen such as your address book or in iPod. Take screenshotsThis is another great tip. To take a photo of what is currently on your iOS screen, place one finger on the home button of your device and another on the button at the top-right. Simultaneously tap the two buttons and the screen will briefly flash capturing a photo. If you go to “photos” the image will be saved there. Swipe through open apps with 4 fingers (iPad)Do you find it annoying to consistently close an app you’re in then open up another to navigate through multiple apps? One trick is when working on your iPad you can swipe from left or to the right with four fingers to swipe through your open apps. Making it quicker and more enjoyable when working on two apps at the same time. Close apps with 4 fingersAnother gesture that can save you time is easily getting back to the home screen of your iPad from the current app you are working in. To do this place 4 fingers on the screen and make a pinching motion. The App will close and you will be lead back to the home screen. So there you have it, 5 quick tips to makes things easier for you when using your iPhone and iPad in your business. The new Apples iOS 7 is coming out soon, so look out for new shortcuts and tricks coming soon. If you’re an Android fan, we’ll have an article for you soon. And a version of Contractor Estimating & Invoicing Tool — by Joist! Sign up here for the Android waiting list: Joist for Android waiting list

Take Your Business to the Next Level

Take Your Business to the Next Level Introducing Joist Pro Elite: Our most powerful set of estimating and invoicing tools. Contractors and Remodelers everywhere: get ready to maximize your invoicing potential! After months of designing, building and polishing, we’re thrilled to finally release our newest solution: Joist Pro Elite. Whether you’re trying Joist for the first time or upgrading from another Joist product, you’ll have access to an arsenal of highly effective features built to help you win more jobs, save more time and get paid faster. Here’s what you can take advantage of in our latest product release: Change Orders As a major component of the Joist Pro Elite release, we’re introducing Change Orders! Now, you can stay on top of project scope changes without the piles of paperwork. With Change Orders, you can instantly send change orders to customers for on-the-spot review and signing. In doing so, you reduce the back and forth between you and your customer and prevent payment disputes from arising. Plus, you and your client will have peace of mind knowing documents are approved before any work continues. Sections While Joist and Joist Pro make your estimates paperless, Joist Pro Elite will make them attractive. With Sections, you can organize your bids in a way that works best for you and your customer. Currently available on Android devices only, Sections let users group their line items into easy to understand buckets like labor or materials. In presenting your estimates with a more professional look and feel, you’ll help your clients visualize where and how the work will be done. A strong understanding of their project scope also makes it easier for your customer to sign a contract, ultimately winning you more jobs in the long run. Sales Reporting Joist Pro Elite takes the guesswork out of running your business with Sales Reporting. Users that set goals or targets can now opt-in to receive weekly emailed reports and better track their progress over time. With added visibility into company performance, you can gain valuable insights into your business that can be leveraged to improve processes. By upgrading to Joist Pro Elite, you unlock the power of business data and get a leg up on the competition. License and Insurance We know you worked hard for your credentials; your customers should know it too! With our new License and Insurance features, users can showcase their professionalism by adding their credentials to estimates from an IOS or Android device. Including proof of qualification will not only increase trust with potential clients, but also give assurance to current customers that they’re working with a pro. Web and Social Links Accessible from an IOS or Android device, Web and Social links allow you to show off previous work or customer reviews directly from your estimates or invoices. The added transparency will impress your prospective clients, while also showing customers that you stand by your work and reputation. Whether you link to your website, yelp page, or social media, harnessing the power of social proof will win you more jobs and land you bigger clients. We hope you’re as excited about Joist Pro Elite as we are! With features designed to help you win more jobs, save time and maximize efficiencies, Joist Pro Elite helps contractors reach their full potential. Make the sky the limit for your business and get started with Joist Pro Elite today!

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