Word Of Mouth Advertising – How To Ask For Testimonials
Word of mouth advertising is a fantastic way to grow your cleaning business. But asking customers for testimonials or referrals can feel a bit icky. If you are doing a tremendous job focused on creating an incredible customer experience, your clients will hopefully pass on your name. However, it’s better not to leave it up to chance and instead implement a strategy to ask for these invaluable pieces of info.
There’s a right and a wrong way to ask clients to tell the world what they love about your business.
First, let’s dive into why word of mouth is so important!
Benefits of Word of Mouth Advertising
Customers are less trusting than ever before. We are all very cynical of traditional advertising and are looking for that ‘social proof.’ How often have you asked friends for referrals when seeking service providers? We are more trusting of pros our friends have referred to us.
87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. 94% of people are more likely to use a company with positive reviews, and 92% of people are LESS likely to use a business with negative reviews.
Simply put – reviews work because they help build trust between you and a prospective client. They are an incredible way to find new clients for your cleaning business. And the cherry on top? Compared to traditional advertising, word of mouth is substantially less expensive!
How to Ask for Testimonials
1. Choose your time wisely.
You want to approach the subject of a review or testimonial after your client has had success from your service. Typically, in the cleaning business, it’s a good time to ask after you have completed the job a few times. You’ll want to make sure they are happy with your service and feel comfortable, knowing you well enough to give you a glowing review.
2. Give them a reason to say yes!
If you go above and beyond to ensure your clients are over the moon about your service, they will be more willing to sing your praises. Do the best possible job and create a fantastic client experience. Stay away from paying for testimonials – only use reviews from legitimate clients who have used your services.
3. Create a form to make it easy.
If you create a quick questionnaire for clients to fill out (see template), it’s a great way to get the types of specific answers you are looking for. Appropriately formatted, it’s also a great way to get feedback to help you grow and better serve your customers.
4. Draw out a story.
Word of mouth advertising works best when clients share the same problems. Ask questions about the specific pain points they had before hiring you. Try to get a before/after description of how their life is better after working with you. The best testimonials are ones that help potential clients picture themselves getting the same results.
5. Automate as you grow.
When your cleaning company is new, asking clients directly may be the best way to receive your testimonial. As you grow and become busier, using an automated email is a great way to save time. You could ask clients face-to-face, and then send a follow up email (such as the template below) to make it easier on them.
How to Use Your Testimonials
The fantastic reviews you’ve received are marketing gold! Providing social proof on your website, sales pages, emails, or social media content is essential. Choose the best ones to post, trying to get differing pain points and benefits of your service in each one. Your testimonials will be much more effective if they don’t all sound the same.
When using your testimonials in your marketing efforts, consider cleaning up your reviews. You can shorten and edit to highlight the most critical points as long as you aren’t changing the meaning or intent. (And be sure to keep it natural).
Collecting reviews and testimonials from happy clients is a cost-effective way to build your cleaning business! And it all starts with going above and beyond for your client.
