Having a word-of-mouth network is a powerful tool that can help you scale up your business and keep you booked for days. However, as everything is moving to the online world, it’s time to move your business’ legacy online by shifting these traditional word-of-mouth referrals to online reviews. With a premium account at HomeStars, you can open a wide door of opportunities to bring your word-of-mouth reputation online to make the future of your business stronger.
What Is The Word-Of-Mouth Network And Why Is It Important?
Traditionally, contractors have built a word-of-mouth network by connecting with their past clients and their own personal connections in the community. However as the world is moving online, it is important for pros like you to explore word-of-mouth referrals in the digital world, with online community reviews on HomeStars. These online reviews can build your brand’s reputation and credibility outside your personal network. The more vetted your business is, the more likely homeowners will reach out to you for their upcoming home improvement project.
How Is HomeStars Digitizing The Word-Of-Mouth Network?
- HomeStars has taken the power of word-of-mouth referrals online and built a directory of community-reviewed pros that gets 8 million visitors every year. As more and more people turn to online reviews before hiring, the more important it becomes to have a digital presence.
- In 2021, HomeStars received a total of 83,843 reviews for pros. These reviews are read by other homeowners in the neighbourhood who may be looking for similar pros.
- HomeStars’ word-of-mouth network can help you leverage past client experiences to connect with more potential customers to grow your business.
Why Are Reviews Important And How Does HomeStars Leverage It?
When asked about reading reviews, 85% of people said they consider overall positive reviews before making a hiring decision placing trust in the integrity of online reviews, there is an emerging understanding among homeowners that not all reviews are authentic. That’s why HomeStars has a team of dedicated professionals who manually vet reviews to ensure they are 100% accurate and authentic. It also allows you to contest any review that you think is inaccurate. By being true to both sides, HomeStars has built a community of pros with more than 8 million vetted published reviews.
How Can You Use HomeStars Reviews To Grow Your Word-of-Mouth Network?
There are a number of ways you can use HomeStars to grow your business with the power of a word-of-mouth network:
- Returning Customers: In our survey, 31% of respondents said they chose previous pros they had hired. When you complete a job on HomeStars and the client is happy, they are more likely to come back to you for similar jobs and leave more positive reviews in return!
- Get Online Visibility: According to homeowners, Google is also a popular space to look for pros with 27% of people using the search engine to hire pros. When you sign up with HomeStars, you also benefit from our high search engine ranking for your business profile, thus getting more visibility on your profile. Having an upgraded profile on HomeStars helps you boost your SEO strategy.
- Get Seen All Year Round: The problem with traditional word-of-mouth referrals is that it only comes up homeowners talk to each other in person in smaller circles. However, on a platform like HomeStars, your reviews are visible at all times. Project-ready homeowners can look you up and make a confident hiring decision, based on your recent reviews. That’s why we have made requesting reviews simple on HomeStars, which ensures that you do not miss out on any opportunities.
- Build Your Online Reputation: Many businesses have operated on the sheer power of traditional word-of-mouth. However, with changing times, it’s important to shift these conversations online. With HomeStars, you can build an online reputation outside of your physical network of Rolodex cards and open yourself to more opportunities.
- Showcase Your Customer Service: Online reviews are a great way to show that you are responsive and care about your customers. Even if you get a negative review, by responding to it, you are showcasing your customer satisfaction skills. This creates a positive impression on the homeowners’ minds that you follow up and are always responsive to their queries.
- Stay Updated: With traditional word-of-mouth referrals, it is easy to get distracted in a sea of information. People can hear about a business but do not know how to contact them. By moving your past and recent reviews online, you can show that you are still open to jobs. This way, homeowners can quickly submit a service request to hire you right from your updated HomeStars profile!
Ready to build your online business profile to improve your word-of-mouth legacy? Sign up with HomeStars today and grow your business!
