The Importance Of Testimonials

How To Get People To Know, Like, and Trust You Before They Meet You

By Jeremy Huffman

Most businesses get a handful of referrals here and there, but those people are not always a good fit for what you do. How can you improve your company’s image without spending any money?

Google can act as your best friend, providing you with an endless amount of referrals. But how? The built-in review system on Google My Business allows Googlers to see how other people have rated your business. Think of all the times you’ve asked your friends about recommending a person or company for a specific service. Now think of how much easier it is to type related keywords into Google’s search bar and get results instantly.

So let’s get to the point:

Positive Google reviews are absolutely CRUCIAL.

While positive reviews can help your business greatly, negative reviews can immediately remove you from consideration. How can you best use Google to your advantage?

It’s simple. First, set up a Google My Business Account.

After you’ve verified your address with Google, you can reach out to past [happy] customers to leave a review. Having just a few positive reviews isn’t going to cut it for a company charging thousands of dollars per project. This is why asking customers to review you on Google should become part of your follow-up process if it isn’t already. If during a regular conversation they say something nice, ask if you can write it down and quote them on it. These positive remarks are useful to people who may be unfamiliar with your business or who are trying to choose a company to contact. Positive reviews help build trust with potential customers before they have even met you. Descriptive positive reviews can make people feel like they already know you.

Google isn’t the only place where reviews matter. Facebook, Houzz, and Yelp are all websites where potential customers may come across your page. When someone agrees to review you on Google, ask them if they would mind pasting their review into these other websites. You should provide the direct links to the testimonial pages to make reviewing your business as easy as possible.

Reaching out to customers should always be a part of your process. It not only helps your business get positive reviews, but it can help you understand what you’re doing well and where you can improve.