Word of mouth is how people find contractors they can trust.
While you may advertise on the radio, television, billboards, flyers, or in newspapers, your satisfied client base is still your best advertisement.
With companies like AngiesList.com and even Yelp.com becoming trusted sources for contractor reviews, it's important to get your customers spreading positive testimonials of your work.
Client testimonials:
- Will be looked for in multiple locations depending on your clientele
- Allow you to get feedback to improve your business
- Allow potential customers to picture themselves working with you
Review Locations
You want customer reviews from multiple sources if you can get them. Some people consider testimonials directly on a contractor?s website the most reliable, while others think posts on third party sit's or social media sit's are more trustworthy simply because they are third party.
A person thinking about getting their kitchen redone might ask a friend who recently had their bathroom cabinetry replaced who they worked with and if they liked them.
Another person might see the recent lawn and garden work at a backyard barbeque and get the idea to use their friend?s contractor to revamp their front garden or plant some rose bushes in front of their store front.
These types of encounters spread the word to one potential client.
If those people that are happy to recommend you as a contractor to their friends will put their testimonial in writing and allow you to put it on your website it will spread the word to countless potential clients.
Your company?s Facebook page is another perfect place for clients to post their personal account of your services.
A satisfied customer is very likely to rave about the great service They areceived and if they do it in a public forum, it is widely available to everyone in your area searching for the right contractor to work with.
Simply having a substantial number of people ?like? your page will impress some clients. Others will look to find the times you are ?talked about? since these aren?t necessarily positive.
Public Perception
Being well informed of what people are saying about you on social media sit's will not only help you get feedback on how your business is doing but keep you up to date on what the public is seeing other people say.
you'll know what your strengths are based on what your clients discuss the most. Do they appreciate most that you're on time or maybe that you pride yourselves on leaving a clean work place when you've finished for the day? it's all in the small details.
Visualizing Future Work
Clients like being able to picture themselves working with you.
Helpful and specific stories of your project work with a customer can paint a detailed picture for a potential future client that simple marketing can?t.
Do they feel comfortable telling you they?ve changed their mind when they decide on a different paint color or cabinet style? If you're flexible and understanding with your current clients, They are likely to pass that information along to future clients.
Original Post: Contractor Hero Blog