Sarah, the owner of a small plumbing business in Ohio, used to rely mostly on word-of-mouth for new customers. Though her team did great work, they weren’t seeing the steady flow of leads they hoped for. That changed when she started paying more attention to online reviews with the help of a tool called reputationbuilder.us.
She started by kindly asking happy customers to leave reviews on Google after each job. It was a simple move, but it made a big difference. Her team would text or email customers with a short message and a link where they could leave a review. Over time, her business profile went from having only a couple of old reviews to having dozens — most of them positive.
The ratings weren’t just numbers. New clients mentioned in calls and emails that they trusted her team because of what others had written. It gave them confidence that they were hiring someone reliable and skilled. Sarah believes the business saw close to double the number of leads within the first six months of focusing on reviews.
Another helpful thing about those reviews? They gave Sarah feedback she could act on. A few mentioned long wait times for appointments, so she adjusted her schedule to fix that. Her team could see in real-time what customers liked and what they didn’t — no guessing.
Most of all, reviews helped build trust. People often search online for service businesses like plumbers, and the stars and stories they see often help them choose one provider over another. A few kind words go a long way.
Sarah didn’t spend a lot of money. She just made leaving reviews easy and remembered to ask. Her advice for other small business owners is simple: don’t be shy about asking for a review after a job well done, and check regularly to see what people are saying. Good reviews won’t magically solve every problem, but they can give your business a real boost.
In today’s world, people look online before they call. Businesses that make reviews a part of how they connect with customers can stand out in a big way — just like Sarah’s did.