Your central heating has broken down and temperatures are plummeting. You want your problem fixed… now. The trouble is you don’t know a reliable central heating engineer. What do you do?
You probably ask your local network… your neighbours, your networking community, maybe your neighbourhood Facebook or WhatsApp groups. If you’re lucky the same name is put forward by several people whom you know, like and trust. You make the call and your problem is quickly fixed.
But what happens when you don’t get reliable recommendations or you get several that sound equally valid. You’re forced back to a search. You find a load of websites where every option is telling you how great they are. It’s hard to know who to choose. You turn to Google Reviews, Checkatrade, Trustpilot and the like in search of feedback. Chances are you’ll go for the one with the most genuine sounding, positive reviews.
Your customers are the same. Unless they know you and have seen you in action they are looking for independent feedback from your customers. Positive reviews help win customers.
What will your prospects find? Do you have some named testimonials on your website? Better still do you have any video testimonials?
Are you inviting happy customers to review you on Google or any websites that your prospects are likely to refer to?
Gathering feedback
Given how important customer reviews are to our sales process we need to be systematic about gathering them.
Do you include a link to your Google reviews with your invoices or your email signature? Do you send a follow up email? Could you use a VA or another independent person to call customers for feedback?
If you’re like me you’ll be fed up with repeated requests for feedback every time you get a delivery or a repeat order. Consider how you can avoid this? Automation might not be the right answer or maybe you need automation that recognises that this customer has recently left a review. Perhaps AI could help.
Responding to reviews
Reviews are precious. Good ones will help you to win new customers. Critical reviews an help you to improve and if you respond constructively they can also help convert prospects.
Your review sites are not the place to do battle with your critics. Take those offline and respond individually. Your response to the online review should be along the lines of ‘I’m sorry we fell short of expectations on this occasion. I have contacted you to discuss how we can put things right.’
Share the good news
When you get good reviews share them on your website, on social media, and in your emails. Google reviews are really powerful so encourage your customers to leave them,
In February 2026 we’re asking you to share the nice things people have said about you in your introductions at Fabulous Networking meetings. Tell us a little of the work you did that led to that review so we can build a picture that will develop our understanding of what makes a good enquiry for you.
