Have you ever considered that your trades business reputation is the most important asset you have? It can mean the difference between landing a big job or being passed over. That’s why it’s so important to manage your reputation effectively. Even before the internet, tradesmen built their businesses based on word-of-mouth recommendations and satisfied clients. However, the internet can be an effective tool for tradespeople if they know how to use it effectively.
If you hear yourself wondering: “What’s Reputation Management?” read one of our latest blog posts about it here.
Here are 7 dos and don’ts of managing your trades business reputation:
Do: Make sure your online presence is positive.
These days, potential customers will almost certainly check out your website and social media presence before doing business with you. Social media has opened up different opportunities for people to find you, especially if you have a great trades business reputation.
Make sure your website is up-to-date and professional, and that your social media channels are active and engaging. What’s more, we recommend sharing social proof on your website as well as social media channels.
Be sure to sign up for the main review sites for tradespeople, where your potential customers can find you while researching the tradespeople they want to hire.
Don’t: Ignore online reviews.
This is one of the most important parts when it comes to managing your trades business reputation. Your potential customers will read online reviews before deciding whether or not to use your services. Don’t ignore negative reviews, and do not respond negatively to reviews – address them head-on. Be professional, courteous and apologetic where appropriate. If you’re doing a great job, your satisfied customers will likely leave positive reviews that will drown out the negative ones.
Responding to negative reviews is an opportunity to demonstrate excellent customer service. It’s also an opportunity to turn a unhappy customer into a satisfied one, which can only benefit your business in long run.
Do: Ask for reviews from happy customers.
When’ve done a great job and your customer is happy with the work you’ve done, ask them to leave you a review. It can be as simple as sending them an email or text message with a link to your Google My Business page or another review site.
Don’t: Buy reviews.
Some companies offer to sell positive online reviews, but this is a big no-no. Not only is it dishonest, but it’s also against the terms of service of most review sites. If you’re caught doing this, you could be banned from the site, which will only damage your reputation further.
What’s more, customers understand when a business has only fake reviews, so it’s not worth it to try and cheat the system. Purely focus on providing excellent service and let the positive reviews come naturally.
Do: Manage your Google Business Profile listing.
Your Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business, is an important part of your online presence, and it’s free to set up. make sure you claim your listing and fill out as much information as possible, including your business hours, services offered, contact information and photos of the jobs completed.
GBP is a great way to keep your customers in the loop and engaged with your brand and manage your trades business reputation.
Don’t: Forget offline reputation management.
It’s not all about online reviews – you need to make sure your offline reputation is managed effectively, too. This includes everything from being polite and professional with customers to ensuring your work is of the highest quality. If you’re doing a great job, your satisfied customers will be more than happy to recommend you to their friends and family.
Managing your reputation is an important part of running a successful business. By following these dos and don’ts, you can be sure you’re on the right track.
Do: Use a reputable review management platform.
There are many great review management platforms out there that can help you manage your reputation effectively. These platforms make it easy to get reviews from happy customers and address any negative reviews in a professional manner. There are many reputable review platforms you can list your business, such as Checkatrade, Which, Trustatrader and more.
What’s more, a review management platform can help you monitor what’s being said about you online, so you can address any issues promptly. This is a valuable tool for managing your reputation effectively.
Don’t: Be afraid to ask for help.
Reputation management is a time-consuming task, and it’s one that’s best handled by a professional. If you don’t have the time or expertise to manage your reputation effectively, we recommend using a reputable review management platform. This will take the burden off your shoulders and ensure your reputation is in good hands.
The bottom line is that managing your trades business reputation is a vital part of running a successful company. By following these dos and don’ts, you can be sure you’re on the right track.
Contact We Are Innovative today, to see how we can help your trades business grow.
