Stacey Ivol – Page 6 – IFTS, Inc. Blog

Boost Your Business: Easy Steps to Get More Google Reviews

Are you looking to skyrocket your company’s reputation with minimal effort?

It’s a no-brainer that glowing reviews can significantly elevate your business’s online presence and credibility. But the big question remains:

How do you effortlessly encourage clients to leave those much-coveted reviews?

This comprehensive guide is your golden ticket to amassing an impressive collection of Google reviews, ensuring your business shines brighter than the rest.

Simplify the Business Review Process

The secret sauce to racking up reviews lies in making the process as straightforward as possible for your clients. Whether you’re a painter leaving a fresh coat of paint on a client’s walls or you’re an attorney that has just successfully navigated them through a complex legal battle, the satisfaction of a job well done is your prime moment to request a review.

Here’s how to harness that moment to your advantage:

Step 1 - Navigate to Your Company’s Google Business Profile

Start by accessing your Google Business Profile. You can do this by entering business.google.com in your browser or simply googling the name of your business.

Don’t have a Google Business Profile yet?

Check out this article on how to create one and this article on how to optimize it for everything that Google is looking for.

Step 2 - Locate Your Direct Review Request Link

Once on your profile, look for the “Ask for Reviews” option.

This is where the magic happens.

Google provides a direct link that simplifies the review process, leading clients straight to where they can sing your praises.

Copy this link and save it somewhere easy to access; it’s your new best friend.

Step 3 - Make Sharing a Breeze

Now, you want to ensure this link reaches your clients without any hassle. Transforming the link into a QR code or a shortened URL via services like Bitly makes asking for a review via email, text, or even in person as seamless as possible.

How to Use Bitly To Get More Reviews

Sign up for an account (you can use the free one to create everything you need and this is not an affiliate link)
Click on “Create New” > “Link”
Fill in the URL and the title
Create the “Custom Back Half” text for the bitly URL
Turn on the QR code and select the color (add your logo if you have the paid subscription)
Click “Create”
Download the PNG or JPEG version of your new QR code
Copy the bitly link and test it

Imagine you are a house painter and you have added this QR code to your final walkthrough paperwork. Once you do the final walkthrough and your client is thrilled with their new house, you can pull out the QR code and ask for a review.

Or, imagine you are an attorney. You could add the QR code to your final invoice or case documents. When your client is thrilled with you winning their epic legal battle, they will be more than happy to leave that review, and you have made it super simple.

Step 4 - Employ Psychological Strategies

When asking for a review, framing it as a favor can significantly boost your chances of success.

People inherently enjoy reciprocating kindness, and by doing something nice for them, you’re more likely to receive a positive review in return. This approach taps into the basic human desire to give back, making your request much more effective.

Beyond the Basics – Getting More Reviews

Taking it a step further, incorporating the QR code into various client-facing materials can substantially increase your visibility and the likelihood of receiving reviews. Whether it’s a business card, a brochure, or an email signature, every point of contact is an opportunity to prompt a review.

In the next installment of our guide, we’ll explore innovative strategies to leverage these QR codes and Bitly links even further, ensuring every satisfied client has the chance to share their positive experience.

Stay tuned and get ready to transform your business’s review-gathering strategy from mundane to monumental.

With these simple steps, your business will not only gather reviews effortlessly but also build a reputation that stands out amongst your competitors.

Email Deliverability and the Upcoming Google Email Apocalypse

Do you or your business send mass emails to your clients from services like GoHighLevel, MailChimp, Active Campaign or others?

If so, your email deliverability may be in danger! Simply put, your clients and prospects may stop seeing your emails in their inboxes.

Why is this?

Late last year, Google announced that they will be implementing new email security checks starting February 1, 2024. They will also change the way that emails are accepted into the inbox.

If you don’t meet these new requirements – NO INBOX FOR YOU!

Once Google made this announcement, other email providers jumped on this train as well, such as Yahoo and AOL.

So, what are these new sending requirements and how do you reach compliance?

Let’s talk about that…

Only Send Emails Using Your Branded Sending Domain

Make sure more people see your emails by taking charge of how your emails look. You can do this by creating a special sending name that represents you. This way, you won’t have the standard “sent via msgsndr.com” message, and your emails will have a better chance of reaching inboxes.

If you send a lot of emails to Google and Yahoo users, you’ll need to set up this special sending name starting in February. Just remember, it might take 2 to 4 weeks for everything to work smoothly after you set it up.

So, when your bulk email program asks who the sender is and the name, be sure to use you@yourdomain.com

DMARC Email Authentication

Okay, this is about to get fairly technical, so put on your IT hat (or get the nearest teenager to help you)…

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance.

It’s a type of TXT record that you add to your DNS records.

DMARC, which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance, is a rule that makes SPF and DKIM even better. It tells email providers what to do with emails that pretend to be from your business but don’t pass SPF or DKIM checks. This helps protect your business from fake or deceptive emails.

To create the record, follow these 5 steps

Sign into your domain registrar and create a new record
Select “TXT” as the type
Set the “host” to _DMARC
Set the “value” to v=DMARC1; p=none;
Save the record and wait about 30 minutes for it to propagate

When setting up DMARC, you need to choose a policy for your emails—either none, quarantine, or reject. While Gmail suggests starting with “none” for basic protection, for stronger security, consider using “reject” or “quarantine.”

However, be careful because this requires extra work to make sure it includes all the companies that send emails on behalf of your business. If you don’t set it up right, it could affect how your emails get delivered.

Work with your tech experts to set up DMARC correctly and keep your emails safe.

To see if your settings work, send an email to a Gmail account and take a look at the header. You should see that the email will PASS 3 times.

You can also check your records here: https://dmarcian.com/dmarc-inspector/

Keep the Brand Consistent

Make sure your email looks professional and is easily recognized by using the same domain for your “from” address as your main branded domain.

To follow DMARC rules, the domain in your “from” address should be the same as the main domain of your branded sending name. For instance, if your branded sending name is “lc.iftsdesign.com,” the main domain is “iftsdesign.com.”

So, if you use “hello@iftsdesign.com” as your “from” address, it stays in line with the main domain. This helps keep everything connected and trustworthy.

Don’t Send As Gmail or Yahoo

Do you send emails via MailChimp or Active Campaign from ‘you’@gmail.com or ‘you’@yahoo.com?

Simple Solution – it’s time to stop. Only send mass emails from your domain.

Mail providers like Gmail and Yahoo are getting more strict with their policies around the DMARC record. So, if you are sending from one of the generic mail providers, it could affect if you land in the inbox vs the spam folder.

Unsubscribing Should Be Easy

These new requirements are all about making a person’s email inbox safer. This includes them ONLY receiving emails they want.

So, how do you do this?

Make your unsubscribe option easy to find and one-click.

Place an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every mass email you send, which is where most people expect to find it.

Be sure to check any pre-scheduled emails that you have…do they have an unsubscribe easily available?

Final Requirement – Keep Your Spam Rating Below 0.30%

Only send emails to people who want to receive them. This is easy to do.

If too many people say your emails are spam, it can cause trouble.

How many people is too many? 3 out of 1000…0.30%

What can happen if your spam rate goes above this?

Your emails might:

be late,
go to the spam folder,
or not be sent at all

Stay below 0.30%!

But how do you know what the spam rate is?

You can check Yahoo spam complaints in the Spam Reports. However, Gmail keeps their Spam Reports private.

If you want to keep an eye on Gmail complaints, use Google Postmaster Tools. You’ll have to sign up with your domain and add a TXT record to prove that you own it.

This helps make sure your emails go where they’re supposed to without any problems.

Not Sure What To Do Next?

If this seems like a lot to accomplish, or you are not quite sure where to start, give IFTS a call at 412-559-7177 or email us at si@iftsdesign.com

We have put together a package that will:

Audit your domain records
Review your deliverability
Set up the requirements from above
Get more emails delivered to your list

Help Articles From Mass Mailing Programs

Walkthrough of this setup in ClickFunnels

Walkthrough of this setup in ActiveCampaign

Walkthrough of this setup in MailChimp

Walkthrough of this setup in MailerLite

Get The Marketing For Your House Painting Business Right – January Edition

Should I Offer Promotions or Discounts, and How Do I Market Them?

Are you the owner of a house painting business?

Do you want to get your marketing right this year?

Well, we want to help you!

Painting business owners often ask us lots of questions about marketing. They want to know how to enhance their business visibility and attract more leads. They also want to know about the best way to turn those leads into clients.

So, let’s go over 3 common questions that we get asked. More importantly, let’s also review the answers to those questions so your 2024 marketing gets you to your revenue goal.

Question 1 - How Can I Effectively Target My Local Market?

To effectively target your local market, it’s important to employ a multi-prong approach that combines both online and offline strategies.

Start with your foundation, your website.

Be sure to use onsite search engine optimization techniques, such as:

Page titles
Alt-text for images
H1, H2, and H3 tags
Website schema where appropriate

Make sure that the website is optimized for local keywords.

Need keyword ideas? You can use tools like:

These tools can tell you what people are searching for and how often it’s being searched in your area.

Next, utilize online platforms like Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect and Bing to enhance your local visibility. Be sure to fill out your profile completely and post regularly.

After you have a solid foundation, you can move to the next level, which is social media. Engage with your followers and your community through social platforms that your prospects are using. Share before and after images, customer testimonials and relevant content to the work that you do.

You can also leverage online advertising through these platforms, as they allow you to target using specific geographic areas as well as demographics and psychographics.

After you have your online efforts started, use the power of traditional marketing methods as well to 2X your efforts.

You can:

Distribute well-designed flyers or signs in local neighborhoods
Participate in or sponsor community events
Partner with local businesses
Partner with a local charity

Don’t forget about the local database you already have – your client list! Ask satisfied clients for referrals (or if they have anything else that they need to have done).

All of these methods can contribute to a robust local marketing strategy.

Bonus Tip - Be sure to monitor and analyze the performance of your marketing efforts.

Make adjustments as needed based on feedback that you receive from your clients and the effectiveness of different channels.

By combining online and offline strategies, you will create a comprehensive approach to effectively reach and connect with your local market.

Question 2 - How Can I Differentiate My Painting Business From My Competitors?

Some people believe that all painting businesses are the same and they just look at the price.

Well, it is your job to make yourself different from everyone else and change that person’s mind.

So, how do you do that?

First, you need to focus on your hook to “reel” people in. Your hook is your unique and compelling identity.

What are your strengths?

What sets your company apart?

Some examples:

A commitment to craftsmanship
Innovative painting techniques
The speed at which you can get to a client’s house
A guarantee that you offer all clients
Any other distinguishing factor that sets you apart

Next, craft a strong and memorable brand message that communicates your hook to your target audience. You may want to create an accompanying image that illustrates your hook as well.

Once you have your messaging finalized, it’s time to start advertising it!

Showcase your brand message through content marketing. Create informative blog posts, videos or social media posts that revolve around your messaging and targets your exact audience that you want to reach.

Some additional points to highlight in your content marketing:

Your painting skills
Your industry knowledge
Your commitment to customer service

This will position your business as an authority in the field as well as building trust with future customers.

Another way to set yourself apart from your competition is to encourage and actively collect positive customer reviews and testimonials.

Be sure to display these on your website as well as your marketing materials. This can help build credibility and reinforce the quality of your services.

Question 3 - What Online Platforms Should I Use For Marketing?

Choosing the right marketing platform really comes down to a few things. You will need to look at:

Your target audience (where do they hang out?)
Your business goals (how much do I want to make and how much can I spend?)
The nature of your painting services (what value do I provide?)

Here are some effective online marketing platforms to consider:

Google Business Profile (GBP): Make sure that your business profile is optimized and completely filled in. This platform enhances your local visibility, provides essential information to potential customers, and encourages reviews.
Your Website: As we mentioned above, your website is the foundation of all marketing. It serves as your online storefront, providing information about your services, your work photo gallery, customer testimonials, hours of operation and contact details. Optimize it for SEO to increase your overall online visibility.
Facebook/Instagram: Share high-quality photos or videos of before and afters, completed projects, your team at work, engaging content and more! Let prospects put a face to the name of the business and get to know, like and trust you before they hire you.
Google Ads: You can find people with a buying intent here. They allow you to target specific demographics, locations and interests to reach potential customers effectively.
Email Marketing: Create and maintain an email list that has both clients and prospects. You can send them newsletters, promotions and updates to keep yourself top of mind and them fully engaged.
Content Marketing: Create valuable content, like blogs, videos or articles that are related to house painting and home improvement. This positions your business as the authority in your area and improves your SEO at the same time.
Review Sites: Be active on all of the review sites that you can, such as Google, Yelp, Home Advisor and more. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave you reviews. You will also want to address any negative feedback that you receive on these platforms as well.
Local Directories: List your painting company on local directories and industry-specific platforms. One tool that you can use to automate this process is Yext. This helps with SEO, enhances your online presence and helps potential clients find you more easily because you are in more places that they may search.
YouTube: Did you know that Google owns YouTube and that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world? YouTube can be powerful for reaching an even broader audience than before. Create engaging videos that show off your painting projects, client testimonials or DIY tips.
Community Engagement: Take part in local online forums and community groups. Be sure to engage with the local residents and offer valuable insights. This will help establish you as THE local house painting expert that they should call when they have a paint job.

Elevate Your House Painting Business with Strategic Marketing in 2024

In the dynamic world of house painting, mastering the art of marketing is essential for business growth. As we’ve explored in this article, the key to success lies in a well-rounded approach that blends both traditional and digital strategies. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your local visibility, differentiate your business from competitors, or choose the right online platforms, a strategic and multifaceted plan is paramount.

Effectively targeting your local market involves optimizing your website with SEO techniques, leveraging online platforms like Google Business Profile, and engaging with your community through social media. Traditional methods, such as distributing flyers and partnering with local businesses, complement these efforts to create a robust local marketing strategy.

Setting your painting business apart from competitors requires a strong and memorable brand identity. Identify your unique strengths, craft a compelling brand message, and showcase it through content marketing and positive customer testimonials.

When it comes to choosing the right online platforms, consider your target audience, business goals, and the nature of your painting services. From Google Business Profile and social media to email marketing and community engagement, each platform plays a role in enhancing your online presence and reaching potential customers.

As you embark on your marketing journey in 2024, remember to continuously monitor and analyze your efforts. Adaptation is key, and by combining online and offline strategies, you’ll create a comprehensive approach that effectively reaches and connects with your local market. Here’s to a successful year of growing your house painting business through strategic and impactful marketing!

Want help accomplishing your goals this year?

Check out our Painter Marketing 365 program!