People have a lot of options these days when it comes to landscaping. If you want to win their business, you need to give them a reason to choose your landscaping company over the many others out there.

More and more, that choice of who to work with comes down to reputation. If you have a strong reputation as a landscaper, people are more likely to choose your company over others.

In this blog, we’ll give you an in-depth look at the steps you can take to build a strong reputation for your landscaping company.

But first, why is reputation so important for landscapers?

Whether the landscaping is for a home or a business, it’s the first thing people see and has a huge impact on curb appeal. People want to know that they’re working with a landscaping company they can trust.

When people are looking for a local landscaper, one of the first things they’ll do is read your reviews. If you have a lot of good reviews and a high average star rating, that builds trust and credibility with potential customers.

In addition to reading your reviews, people will also ask around for recommendations. If you have a strong reputation in the community, people will be more likely to recommend your landscaping company to others.

Finally, your online reputation can also impact how visible your landscaping company is on search engines. If you have a strong reputation, your landscaping company is more likely to show up higher in local search results, which can lead to even more business.

Now that we’ve covered why reputation is so important for landscapers, let’s look at some of the steps you can take to build a strong reputation.

A landscaper’s step-by-step guide to building a strong reputation

Step #1. Make great customer service your top priority

If you want to build a strong reputation, great customer service needs to be your number one priority. The bottom line is that landscapers who provide outstanding customer service are more likely to receive positive reviews and recommendations.

The first step to providing great customer service is hiring the right employees. Look for employees who have a positive attitude, are hard workers and have a willingness to go above and beyond for customers.

In addition to hiring the right employees, you also need to train them on how to provide great customer service. Teach them the importance of treating each customer with respect, being responsive to their needs and going the extra mile to solve problems.

Also, make sure you’re consistently providing great customer service yourself. Set the tone for your company and be the example that your employees should follow.

Finally, when an employee is mentioned by name in a five-star review or you otherwise hear about them providing great customer service, celebrate those victories!

Recognizing employees for a job well done will motivate them to keep up the good work.

Step #2. Ask for reviews and testimonials

One of the best ways to build a strong reputation is to ask your customers for reviews and testimonials. When you provide great customer service, people are more likely to leave you a positive review; however, many people won’t write a review unless you ask them to.

But, the good news is that most people are more than happy to write a review for you if you simply ask them to.

You can ask for reviews and testimonials in a number of ways. Here are a few of the most effective ways to ask for reviews:

• Ask in-person – After you’ve completed a job, simply ask the customer if they would be willing to leave you a review on Google or another platform.
• Send an email – If you don’t feel comfortable asking for a review in person or if the customer is not available, you can always send them a follow-up email asking for a review. Set up an automated email journey that will make the process easy and seamless for your landscaping business.
• Include a link – When you’re asking for a review, include a link that the customer can click on to leave their review. This will make it even easier for them to write a review and will increase the likelihood that they’ll actually follow through.
• Ask via text message – You can also ask for a review via text message. This is a great option if you want to make sure the customer receives your request but you don’t have time to talk to them in person. Plus, you can automate review requests through text message marketing the same way you can with email.

If you want more reviews, the best course of action you can take is to start asking for them. It’s really that simple.

Step #3. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative

It’s important to respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. When you respond to a positive review, you’re thanking the customer for their business and letting them know that you appreciate their feedback. This is a great way to build relationships with your customers and show them that you’re attentive to their needs.

When you respond to a negative review, you have an opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied one. Not only that, but other potential customers who see your response will also get the impression that you’re committed to providing great customer service.

Responding to negative reviews can be tricky, though. Here are a few tips to help you get it right:

• Say thank you for the feedback – It’s important to thank the customer for their feedback, even if it’s negative. This shows that you’re open to hearing what they have to say and that you’re willing to work to improve your business.
• Apologize – If the customer had a bad experience, be sure to apologize. A sincere apology can go a long way in diffusing a tense situation.
• Offer to make it right – If the customer is unhappy with the landscaping services they received, offer to make it right. This could mean giving them a discount on their next service or even coming back to redo the job for free.
• Let them know what you’re doing to prevent it from happening again – If the customer had a bad experience, let them know what you’re doing to prevent that from happening in the future. This could mean changing your processes or implementing new policies.
• Give yourself a few minutes to calm down – It’s important to respond to a negative review as soon as possible; however, you also don’t want to respond when you’re angry or upset. If you need a few minutes to calm down, that’s perfectly fine. Just be sure to get back to the customer within 24 hours.
• Invite the customer to contact you directly – If the customer is still unhappy after you’ve responded to their review, invite them to contact you directly so you can further discuss their concerns. This will help you avoid getting into a public argument with a customer.

Responding to reviews is an important part of reputation management for landscapers. By taking the time to respond to all reviews, you’re showing your customers that you care about their feedback and that you’re committed to providing great customer service.

Step #4. Use reputation management software

Not only is it important to respond to your reviews, but it’s also important to respond promptly. A review response within 24 hours means a lot more than a review response after a week or a month.

Reputation management software, like the Marketing 360® Reputation app, can help you track your online reviews, respond to them quickly and even get more of them.

The Marketing 360 Reputation app is the only reputation management software that’s integrated with the Marketing 360 landscaping marketing platform, so you can easily manage your landscaping company’s online reputation and manage your landscaper marketing strategy from one place.

Plus, it gives you access to the Top Rated Local® reviews widget, which you can add to your landscaper website to showcase your online reviews. It also makes it easy for your customers to write reviews for your business right from your website.

If you’re not using reputation management software, now is the time to start. It’s an essential tool for managing your landscaping company’s online reputation and helping you attract more customers.

Step #5. Listen to customer feedback!

This landscaper reputation management tip is simple but important: listen to your customers!

Your customers are the ones using your landscaping services, so their feedback is invaluable. If you’re not sure what your customers want or need, just ask them!

You can survey your customers after they’ve used your landscaping services, or you can simply ask them for feedback the next time you see them. Either way, make sure you’re taking the time to listen to what your customers have to say.

There’s no point in guessing about the customer experience you’re providing. Get it straight from the horse’s mouth by asking your customers and carefully reading their reviews.

And when you do get feedback, make sure you use it to improve your customer experience and reputation. That’s what it’s there for!

Step #6. Take control of your local search rankings

Reviews aren’t the only thing that comprises a landscaping business’s reputation. What comes up when someone googles your business also plays a huge role in how people see your business.

Take control over the conversation and the search rankings by optimizing your landscaper website for relevant keywords, writing blogs, posting on your social media profiles and making sure that your local listings are accurate and up to date.

Additionally, use Google ads to make sure that your landscaping ads are appearing at the top of relevant search results and that you’re taking up as much real estate as possible on the SERP (search engine results page).

The more you can get your landscaping business to show up in relevant search results, the better. Not only will this help improve your reputation, but it will also help you attract more customers.

By taking control of your landscaping company’s online presence, you’re taking control of your reputation. And that’s a good thing!

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Landscaper reputation management is an important part of landscaping marketing. By following these tips, you can build a strong reputation for your landscaping company, build trust and attract more customers to your landscaping business.

Get started with the Marketing 360 Reputation app today. See our plans and pricing.