Your Questions, Our Answers: A Comprehensive Guide

Here are the top questions our customers ask us every day, along with straightforward answers from our team.

Running a successful business in today's digital landscape can feel overwhelming. You're bombarded with buzzwords like digital marketing, CRM, lead generation, and workflow automation. While having a digital presence is essential for modern business success, it doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you're starting from scratch or have already begun your digital journey, we'll address your most pressing questions with clear, actionable answers.

Getting Started Online

I'm swamped with work - do I really need to focus on a digital marketing?

When you're busy with current jobs, it seems like digital marketing might be unnecessary, but how about those times when you're slow and desperately looking for work? The feast-and-famine cycle is one of the biggest challenges for service businesses. Today you might be swamped with work but what about next month? Digital marketing is not only a way to increase your leads and potential customers, but more importantly it is a way of creating consistent leads. It creates more consistent lead flow and allows you to be more confident in maintaining a balanced job schedule. It is consistently working at finding new leads for you 24/7 so you don't have to, it helps you focus on your current jobs and not worry about finding new ones.

What's the bare minimum I need to do?

A lot of businesses will focus on a Facebook profile or Instagram page and while these are important, the true value from these platforms comes when you post content consistently which takes considerable time and effort. Instead, focus on these 3 essential elements:

1) Google Business Profile

• Essential for appearing on Google Maps

• First place potential customers check your legitimacy

• Shows location and contact information

• Completely free to setup and maintain

2) Website

• More credible than just a Facebook page

• Needs only basic elements:

• Company Background

• Service Descriptions

• Contact Information

3) Reviews

• Builds immediate trust with consumers

• Integrates with your Google Business Profile

• Improves your visibility in search results

• Shows potential customers your track record

This foundation gives you the strongest start without overwhelming you with digital marketing tasks.

Managing Your Online Reputation

How important are Google reviews for my service business?

Google reviews are vital in the service industry. Here's why:

1) 93% of customers read online reviews before choosing a service provider. - Podium

2) Businesses with better and more consistent reviews show up higher in Google search results

3) Positive reviews build immediate trust with consumers

Did you know 73% of consumers don't even consider a review older than a month? According to trustmary customers place a lot of value on recent reviews. While you might have a 5 star rating, 50 reviews, and think your business "looks good" online, think again. Your customers want to see consistent reviews.

I have unhappy customers leaving reviews - what should I do?

A negative review isn't the end of your business's reputation. In fact, handled correctly, it can showcase your commitment to customer service. Most potential customers can distinguish between unreasonable complaints and legitimate concerns - they understand that a one-star review for a missed call or slight delay doesn't reflect your true service quality.

The key is in how you handle negative reviews. According to Bright Local, 88% of consumers expect businesses to respond to every review, both positive and negative. Here's how to handle negative reviews effectively:

• Respond promptly and professionally to all reviews

• Address legitimate concerns with sincere apologies when warranted

• Move the conversation offline by providing direct contact information

• Follow up to ensure the issue is resolved satisfactorily

Remember: potential customers often pay more attention to how you handle negative reviews than to the negative reviews themselves. Your professional response can turn a negative review into a demonstration of your excellent customer service.

How do I get more reviews without spending hours asking customers?

Asking for reviews can feel awkward and time-consuming. Perhaps you feel like you are asking a lot from your customers that have already just paid you, or perhaps you just don't have the time to continually ask and follow up for reviews. The solution is to make review collection an automated part of your customer experience.

Here's how automation can streamline your review process:

• Send review links via text or email after job completion or paid invoice

• Follow up with gentle reminders at optimal intervals

• Send automated thank-you messages after reviews are posted

• Use AI to help draft appropriate responses to reviews

• Maintain consistent timing and professional tone

If your standard procedures include an automatic review collection process, you transform what might feel like a personal favour into a standard part of your customer experience. The system works consistently, it never forgets to send a request or to follow up on a request. Not only will this process save you time, but it will generate more reviews than manual requests by catching customers at the right moment when they are most likely to respond.

Automating Your Business Operations

I miss calls while I'm on job sites - what can I do?

Missing a call is not as big of a problem as some might think. The bigger issue is the time it takes to get back to this potential customer. Today it is incredibly important to connect with leads as soon as possible because it has been shown that consumers will simply move on to the next company that appears in the Google search if you don't pickup the phone or respond to a text immediately. According to HubSpot, "90% of customers rate an "immediate response" as important or very important when they have a customer service question and 60% of customers define "immediate" as 10 minutes or less." These statistics are for existing customers, do you think potential customers are going to be more or less patient?

The good news is, there are many automation processes you can implement to help you keep on top of your response time.

1) Automatic Missed Call Text Back

• Instantly send a professional text when you miss a call

• Acknowledges the caller's attempt to reach you

• Offers immediate text communication as an alternative

• Keeps potential customers engaged instead of calling competitors

2) Website Chat Widget

• Provides instant communication option on your website

• Captures leads who prefer not to call

• Can use AI to handle initial conversations

• Maintains engagement until you're available to respond personally

Automation tools help ensure potential customers receive the immediate attention they are expecting, while you are able to focus on your current tasks at hand.

How do I keep track of all my leads and follow-ups?

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is one of the more common terms you might hear as a business owner, but it truly is one of the more powerful tools you can use to transform your lead management process. Whether you are currently using a pad of paper, an Excel worksheet, or are already using a CRM to manage your leads, combining a traditional CRM with automated processes can dramatically improve your conversion rates.

Here's what a well-automated CRM can do for your business:

• Track Customer Journey

• Store contact information and interaction history

• Monitor potential revenue opportunities

• Track leads from first contact to final sale

• Maintain detailed records of customer preferences

• Automate Follow-ups

• Send timely follow-up emails and texts

• Schedule automated appointment reminders

• Deliver targeted marketing campaigns

• Nurture leads with consistent communication

• Streamline Workflow

• Move leads automatically through your sales process

• Schedule appointments without phone tag

• Convert more leads into paying customers

• Save time on routine administrative tasks

The real power of a CRM isn't in storing information - it's in automating your entire customer communication process, letting you focus on delivering great service while the system handles the follow-up.

Will automation make my business feel less personal?

Business owners may look at automation as removing the personal touch from their communication with their clients, but if used properly it simply becomes an extension of you. Think of automation as a digital assistant that extends your personal touch consistently to every customer. While the processes might be automated, you can still customize the systems and messages to directly reflect your business values and communication style.

Messages are still written in your own voice and style, they are just able to be sent automatically at optimized timing instead of whenever you can get around to it. Custom responses and personal touches can still be added for different situations or individual clients. Automation simply saves you time and effort on activities that you would already have to do anyways.

For example, when a customer requests a quote, maybe you'd normally send a confirmation text, maybe a follow up the next day, and perhaps a check in message again if you haven't heard back. Automation simply handles these steps automatically, using messages you've carefully crafted to sound just like you.

The key difference? Instead of typing the same message dozens of times, you write it once and ensure every customer receives your best communication at the right moment. This isn't about removing the personal touch - it's about delivering it consistently and efficiently to every customer.

Digital Marketing That Works

Where should I spend my marketing budget - Google Ads or Facebook?

This is a great question. Both are effective marketing strategies, but they are generally going to capture a different audience. Let's break down how each platform works.

• Google Ads

• Targets active searchers who need services now

• Reaches people already looking for your service

• Competes directly with other service providers

• Higher intent but more competitive

• Facebook Ads

• Builds brand awareness before client needs arise

• Reaches a broader homeowner audience

• Creates top-of-mind awareness

• Allows for creative service promotions

Google Ads are going to be marketing to someone who is already in need of something and have expressly gone out of their way to search for what they need. For example, if someone needs to paint their house, they are going to specifically go look for a painter. Now that they are looking for a painter, you are going to be competing with all of the other painters available online, and Google Ads allows you to get in front of the competition. Facebook ads however, you'll be marketing to a much wider audience, anyone using Facebook might come across your ad. If you are a painter, you will now be getting in front of a lot more people, and now that they've seen your ad, you will become top of mind and the first call someone makes if they need a painter.

For local home service businesses Facebook Ads often provide better value. They target homeowners specifically in your service area, they introduce your service to people who might not know they need you, they build brand recognition for future needs, and generally are more cost-effective for local businesses. Consider starting with Facebook Ads to build your brand presence, then add Google Ads as your business grows to capture immediate service needs.

Do I really need social media as a trades business?

Social media isn't the end all be all for a trades business, but it can be an effective way of raising brand awareness and consumer trust. Once you have implemented the recommendations above from the "What's the bare minimum I need to do?" section, it is time to perhaps think of getting involved with Facebook.

Here's a basic strategic approach:

• Social Media Foundation

• Create a professional Facebook business page

• Add contact information

• Post quality photos of your work

• List services and service area

• Efficiency & Management

• Don't feel pressured to post daily

• Focus on quality over quantity

• Use your business page to promote special offers or seasonal services

• Display customer testimonials to build trust

Your social media presence doesn't have to be elaborate or time-consuming, you don't need to post multiple pieces of content daily, you don't need to constantly engage with communities or other businesses in your area. The real value of Facebook for trades businesses is simply having a business page that provides another way for customers to find you and for you to build credibility with them. The other advantage is that with a business page you are able to enable Facebook Ads to drive lead generation. Think of your Facebook page as a digital portfolio and advertising platform rather than a daily blog.

How do I know if my digital marketing is actually working?

Digital marketing success isn't just about likes and follows - it's about real business results. Here are the key metrics that actually matter for service businesses:

1. Lead Generation

   • Number of phone calls received

   • Contact form submissions

   • Quote requests

   • Website chat interactions

   • Direct messages on social media

2. Lead Quality

   • Percentage of leads that turn into jobs

   • Average job value from digital leads

   • Types of services being requested

   • Geographic location of leads

3. Customer Acquisition Cost

   • How much you're spending to get each new customer

   • Cost per lead from different marketing channels

   • Return on ad spend (ROAS)

4. Website Performance

   • Number of visitors to your website

   • How visitors find your website (Google search, ads, social media)

   • Which pages they visit most

   • How long they stay on your site

5. Google Business Profile Insights

   • How many people see your business listing

   • Number of clicks to call

   • Direction requests

   • Website visits from your profile

The key is to track these metrics monthly and look for trends. Are you getting more leads this month than last? Are those leads turning into profitable jobs? This data helps you understand what's working and where to adjust your strategy.

Growing Your Business

How do I compete with bigger companies online?

Competing with bigger companies can definitely seem like a daunting task, but remember as a local service business, you don't have to be the biggest or the best to find success. You just need to carve out a portion of the market, you can still easily grow without competing with the big companies. You want to focus on competing with the other companies around you in your size. How you do this, is you use the systems that the larger companies use. You use automation to supplement your business and increase efficiency, you use digital marketing to get in front of more customers, and you get more customer reviews.

Use technology efficiently and effectively:

• Implement automated review requests

• Use chat tools to quickly respond to inquiries

• Setup automated follow up systems

• Create efficient scheduling systems

• Maintain consistent communication with customers

Remember, you also have the advantage of uniqueness and a personal touch compared to the big companies. Don't move away from that, but use their systems to compliment your business. Customers often prefer the attention and care you are able to provide more than a big company that is not personable, they don't know who the owner is, and they never truly feel cared for. Leverage technology and keep your personal touch.

What's the fastest way to get more leads?

Getting more leads requires a strategic two-pronged approach: optimizing your existing lead conversion and expanding your reach through digital marketing.

The first way to get more leads is to convert more of the existing leads that find your business and look at your website. People are already finding you and I guarantee you not 100% of them end up being your customer. These are key elements to focus on:

1. Online Reputation - The more Google Reviews you have, and the more consistent they are, will increase consumer trust and lead to more customers reaching out to you over competition with a better reputation.

2. Response Time - Reducing the amount of time it takes to respond to leads is key. These potential customers are already reaching out to you. Missing their call or taking time to respond to their emails/texts greatly reduces the probability that they will be willing to work with you. They will very quickly move on to your competition.

Implementing tools such as automated review requests and follow ups, missed call text back functions, and website chat bots will help improve the conversion rates of leads into customers. These leads are already looking at your website, Facebook page, or Google Business Profile, and are already reaching out to you, make sure you capture as many of these leads as possible before spending money on additional marketing channels.

Once you have optimized your existing leads and systems, it is time to expand your reach and find new leads. Facebook ads and Google ads are a great way to increase leads for your business. Creating compelling advertisements and compelling service offers to the right audience will create a consistent flow of new leads to your business. Now that you have already optimized your existing systems, you'll be ready to convert more of these new leads you attract to your business.

Next Steps

Taking your business digital doesn't have to be overwhelming or expensive. Here's how to move forward.

Do It Yourself

• Start with the essential foundation:

• Set up your Google Business Profile

• Create a basic professional website

• Implement a review management system

• Implement automation tools

• Missed call text back

• CRM lead follow up systems

• Website chat widgets

• Digital marketing

• Implement Facebook and Google Ads

Get Expert Help

• Book a consultation with LocalPro Connect to discuss your needs, identify high-impact, cost-effective changes, and get a customized implementation plan

• LocalPro Connect can handle all of your automation and digital marketing strategies for you

• Leverage our experience and tools for faster results

Ready to grow your business efficiently? Whether you choose to implement these strategies yourself or want professional guidance, the key is to start with the fundamentals and build from there. We're here to help you navigate these challenges in a way that makes sense for your business and budget.

Want to discuss your specific needs? Book a free consultation call today. We'll help you identify the most impactful improvements for your business and create a practical implementation plan that fits your resources. Check out our homepage at www.localproconnect.ca to book a 'strategy call'.