I have heard from more than one industry expert that home improvement companies rank at or near the bottom when it comes to credibility with consumers. I am not sure if this stems from that old classic movie ‘Tin Men’ or just legitimate concerns about past and current practices of some poor salespeople.

With the Internet being so commonplace now, often times, homeowners are armed with more information on home improvement and remodeling companies they are interviewing than the salespeople coming to their home to consult with them.

Different Internet ‘credibility’ companies such as Angie’s List and different social media practices through companies such as Google and Google Plus definitely give homeowners better visibility of their prospective home improvement companies.

And as often the case, if your company has 100 five star ratings compared to a fraction of one star ratings, the focus from our prospective customers goes to the ‘bad’ ratings. Obviously homeowners do not want to make a wrong decision or be in the same situation as the homeowner giving a bad rating to your company – legitimate or not.

This said, it is extremely important to check out your company’s reputation on the Internet. Just do an Internet search on your company name and see what comes back. This is what a homeowner is going to do so you may as well be seeing what they are seeing.

It’s also important to equip your salespeople with the proper tools to refute any claims that really stem from a customer that is just ‘out to get you.’

Also, make sure you partner with different organizations that will offer your company some credibility. It may be the local BBB, the Chamber of Commerce, other industry organizations, etc.

I also strongly encourage everyone to get some video testimonials from your homeowners and put them up on your website, Facebook page and your YouTube channel. These not only give your prospective customers a snapshot of how well your company has performed, it also helps with your organic SEO.

Also, there are many different survey companies out there such as Guild Quality. These companies survey your customers and give you a snap shot of how well your company is performing. They also help you with ‘real time’ testimonials that can be put up on your website and stay constantly updated.

Finally, in this electronic world, competition is fierce so credibility helps you stand out from the crowd. Make sure you have a strong reputation, after all, this is what defines your company.

Great Selling!