You’ve completed a great renovation job and your client is over the moon, but how do you get them to tell others about it? Follow this simple guide for tips on how to encourage your customer to write that glowing report.
Ask immediately
The most obvious way to prompt a client to leave a review is to ask – and the sooner the better. While the project is still fresh in the mind of the customer, politely ask them if they could let others know about your service by writing a quick review on your website or Houzz profile.
“I make sure I maintain a warm relationship with my clients,” says William Jones of fine furniture makers Clermont Carpentry. “If I’ve done a good job, I feel comfortable asking them for a review afterwards.”
Make it easy for the client
People are busy and even if a client intends to write a review, sometimes they don’t have time. Make the process as convenient as possible by emailing a link with clear instructions. You could even include examples of past testimonials that they can use as a template.
Illya Karpenko of Illya Kitchens explains how his firm makes the process simple: “At the end of every job we send an email to our clients to thank them for choosing us, and letting them know that we will send them an email with a link to review us.”
Check if you can showcase their project
If you’re particularly pleased with the way a job has turned out, ask the client if you can photograph the result and include it on your website or Houzz profile. Your client will probably feel flattered and be more inclined to write a few words to include with the image.
Did you know that Houzz Pro can help you design a custom website where you can showcase reviews and testimonials? Check out the Website Services feature to see how it's done.
Respond to reviews
There’s a good possibility that your current customer checked out your existing reviews before they hired you, so it pays to create a good impression. Take some time to respond to people who write a testimonial, thanking them for their review. Potential clients will appreciate this and it might tempt them to leave their own reviews later on.
Think strategically
Not everyone who uses your services will get around to posting a review. However, if you build in a strategy for requesting testimonials at the end of each job you’ll soon build up a bank of reviews. Make it part of your business process and ensure the whole team knows to request a review and send the relevant information to the client. Get started now by requesting reviews from clients you’ve worked with.
