In the digital age that we currently find ourselves in, it is important for contractors to recognize the value of their online presence and learn how to get Google reviews.
Every day more and more roofers are ditching HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List and other underwhelming lead generation sites in favor of doing their own marketing through social media and their websites.
In the eyes of Roofing Insights CEO Dmitry Lipinskiy, this is what should be happening.
He says that in addition to being creative and strategic with your online marketing, it is also important to understand that online reviews are just as valuable as marketing, if not more.
“Reviews are modern gold,”
says Lipinskiy.
“They are online currency. The more reviews you have, the cheaper your marketing will be. Overall, it will help you land more jobs, but there are quite a few things you need to know about your online reviews.”
Keep reading to learn Lipinskiy’s 7 tips for getting more online reviews!
Also, if your business is looking for a way to make getting online reviews easier, contact Signpost today!
Signpost is great for contractors who are too busy to follow up with their customers about reviews because Signpost automates that process and allows you to focus on other aspects of your business.
To learn more about Signpost, check out their website today.
Now, let’s get back to the article.
1. Offer small repair service
Back in the day, Lipinskiy was a big believer in “marketing jobs.”
These jobs consisted of doing quick work for little money, not because the profit margins were huge, but because they allowed Lipinskiy to make a new contact and showcase his professionalism to the consumer.
On one occasion, Lipinskiy did a $99 gutter job for a client, and then a few years later that same customer called him back and had him do a $7,000 facelift on their home.
A huge reason why the customer called Lipinskiy back for more work was because he personally responded to their Google review.
This was just another indicator of Lipinskiy’s professionalism, but it was also a good business strategy.
“Our attention spans are very small. When customers give you a review, it’s their fingerprint on the internet,”
says Lipinskiy, who mentions that sometimes online behavior is more important to the homeowner than in-person interactions.
“We change our homes more often than we change our email addresses,”
he continues, which is just another reminder of how impactful online activity can be for a business.
2. Never pay for reviews
Some roofing contractors are willing to pay for customers to review them after a job, a practice that Lipinskiy deems reprehensible.
Explains Lipinskiy:
“If you have good customer service, people will be happy to give you a review. If you have to bribe a homeowner to write you a review, it means you suck at customer service and you’re not confident that you’re the best option for them.”
Contractors:
Quit paying homeowners for Google reviews!
3. Build a solid process with a clear call-to-action
Many homeowners will be willing to leave you a review, but if you make the process of being able to leave reviews too convoluted or difficult, homeowners will forgo leaving feedback.
“When you are asking for reviews, whether through text or in person, make sure you clearly explain to the homeowners what you want them to do,”
advises Lipinskiy.
Asking for reviews also means you have to make the review process simple, and this is where Signpost can be a great resource for your company because they optimize that exact process.
Adds Lipinskiy:
“Send them [customers] a link. I don’t care if you text or send an email, but make it easy for them because they are not going to go the extra mile for you.”
4. Reply to all reviews
As mentioned in the story above, Lipinskiy benefitted immensely from responding to a homeowner’s review.
You should do the same, but make sure your response is not generic.
“Mention something personal. Don’t reply to everyone in the same way. Write something specific,”
encourages Lipinskiy.
5. Partner with a platform that can help communicate with customers
In the roofing industry, when it comes to finding ways to improve customer relations via an outside company, there are typically two kinds of contractors.
“On the one side, contractors are skeptical about third parties. They don’t want to sign up with anyone or pay even one dollar to anyone. As a result, they never get a lot of online reviews,”
says Lipinskiy.
“On the other side, I see contractors who sign up with every service, but they never commit to any of them. They spend a lot of money and they also don’t get a lot of reviews,”
continues Lipinskiy.
A balance needs to be struck between these two polar opposite viewpoints.
“I want to help you find a partner who will help you communicate with all of your consumers,”
says Lipinskiy.
That’s why Roofing Insights has partnered with Signpost.
If you want to quit losing out on reviews with your customers because your follow up process is outdated or nonexistent, contact Signpost today and let them help you get on the path toward more Google and online reviews!
6. Keep being amazing, live up to your reviews, and have fun with it
If you’re struggling to generate online reviews, there may be a few things you’re doing wrong.
Also, if the reviews you receive are negative, then ask yourself what can be done to improve the value of your company.
“Analyze your reviews and ask yourself why you are receiving so many one-star reviews,”
recommends Lipinskiy, who adds that blaming Google algorithms or scorned customers is not the way to improve your online standing.
7. Invest in more than one platform
Even if you’re getting tons of reviews on a single platform like Houzz or HomeAdvisor, it’s important to spread your reach to other platforms, in case for some strange reason you lose your place on a particular platform.
Lipinskiy learned this lesson the hard way.
After years of dominating his market on Angie’s List and earning over 700 reviews on the once-popular platform, in 2017 he was booted from the site after Angie’s List was bought out.
This left his business in a precarious position, but if he had other platforms that could give a testimonial regarding his business, he would have better survived the loss of his Angie’s List profile.
“Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket. Make sure you diversify your portfolio with Google, BBB, Facebook, your manufacturer, and maybe Thumbtack,”
Lipinskiy says.
Another benefit to having an expansive list of sites with reviews is it allows for your customers to have an easier time giving you a review.
For example, if a customer doesn’t have a Google account, they can’t give you a review on that website without creating a profile, but perhaps they can still leave you a review on another platform.
Do your research and find out which platforms are best for your company.
Thank you for reading the latest post from Roofing Insights!
If you would like to learn more about Signpost and how they can help you upgrade your review process, please visit their website today!
