Google Maps, Reviews, & Reputation: Trust Signals That Win Over Local Homeowners
“Trust is like the air we breathe. When it’s present, nobody really notices. When it’s absent, everybody notices.” – Warren Buffett, the world’s tenth richest person.
When it comes to home services businesses, trust is everything.
Think about going out for a nice Italian dinner. You hear good things about the new local joint, so you look it up online. 4.7 stars, glowing testimonials, and their food looks scrumptious.
Yet, just below is an Italian restaurant that’s under new management. Their 2.7-star rating raises eyebrows. A couple of bad reviews make you question their food and service. It’s not a good look.
Do you trust spending your hard-earned money on this latter dinner spot? Of course not! The reviews and reputation are screaming that you should consider the first restaurant.
Just as people rely on trust signals to determine which restaurant to go to, homeowners count on these same trust signals before awarding a home services business their project.
For Homeowners, Trust Becomes Priority One
Of course, a dinner is just a dinner. If it’s a lousy experience, you’re out $60 and an hour of your time. But, when it comes to hiring a home services business, trust is everything.
Here are the top reasons why trust is key when considering home services business:
- Homeowners are welcoming strangers into their homes.
- Technicians are around their families, their pets, and their valuables.
- Price can vary considerably from one home services business to another.
- The duration of the project can end up eating into their personal plans.
- The homeowners question if the technicians will do it right the first time.
For HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, and remodeling companies, trust reigns supreme. Homeowners today want to know if they can trust the home services business they’re about to invite onto their property.
Trust Becomes the Deciding Factor Whether A Homeowner Calls You or Not
Think back to when the Yellow Pages were the only business listing directory that mattered. The homeowner only saw the business name, phone number, and address. That’s it! Unless that homeowner started with a referral, every call was a gamble. Trust had to be earned.
Today, homeowners are given lots of trust signals before they even pick up the phone. Reviews. Ratings. Photos. Business information. All of this and more are available to them in mere seconds.
A strong reputation can help your home services business to stand out. While outdated information, poor reviews, unanswered complaints, or a lack of recent reviews create doubt in the minds of homeowners. That doubt forces their eyes wander to your competitors. And if they win over their trust, you just lost potential business.
On the other hand, a complete Google Business Profile, recent customer feedback, professional responses, and photos of your team and completed projects all increase your trust quotient.
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Online Trust Signals
- Collect Reviews Consistently.
Both the number and quality of reviews go far to building that important trust. Encourage your satisfied customers to share honest feedback after a job is completed. - Always Respond Promptly and Professionally.
As soon as possible, respond to your reviews. For positive reviews, thank your customers with personalized details. For the rare negative review, respond calmly and constructively. If the homeowner is mistaken about the service they received, calmly state that without negativity. - Keep Your Google Business Profile Up To Date
On a regular basis, check your hours, services, phone number, and service areas. If your business information is inconsistent with your website or any other online directory, it erodes customer trust. - Prove Your Work and Quality
Rather than rely on stock photos, feature real photos of completed projects, your team, your trucks or equipment, and even the customers if they give permission. Before and after photos go far to proving your quality of work. - Select Accurate Categories
Choose a primary category that matches your core service. Then choose relevant secondary categories that align with your business.
More Than Winning The Call, Trust Earns the Business
Naturally, your first goal is to establish enough trust online so the homeowner picks up the phone, fills out a form, or sends an email. Because, without this step, that homeowner is having a conversation with your competitor instead.
Of course, your second goal is to win their business. While your salespeople, your services, your pricing, and your schedule have a lot to do with whether the homeowner chooses you or someone else, trust also plays an important role.
They’re calling you because you have hundreds of 5-star reviews, glowing testimonials, real pictures of your quality of work, the right categories, and all information is professional and accurate. In other words, the minute you answer, they have already established a level of trust.
Therefore, completing the sale is easier and often much quicker. You’ll find that once your online reputation is golden, prospects will come crawling to you ready to say, “Yes!”.
Your Online Reputation Becomes Spartan Digital’s Priority
If you’re staring at a low number of reviews, several negative reviews, or a generic Google Business Profile that hasn’t been touched in years, Spartan Digital can help.
We help local home services businesses strengthen their online presence so visibility can translate into real opportunities. After all, getting on the map is important. But, earning your customer’s trust is what helps move your mission forward.
Take action today to turn your online reputation into a selling point.
Contact Spartan Digital to request a FREE Online Reputation Audit