Using your glazing website to build trust with prospective customers

Using your glazing website to build trust with prospective customers

Trustworthiness, or the lack of, is a perception issue that nearly all tradesmen and contractors face in the eyes of the public. Customers want the reassurance that their contractor is going to show up when they say they will, charge a fair price, and get the job done to a high standard. One way you can provide reassurance is through the information you provide on your website.

Pricing is often the first thing that comes to mind when we talk about transparency but there are ways to add trust and credibility to your website without having to list your pricing if you're not comfortable doing so or don't have fixed prices.

Quality Testimonials

Testimonials from previous customers are your strongest asset when it comes to building trust. People are influenced by reviews from fellow consumers, it's a phenomenon known as "social proof" and you've probably experienced it first hand. For example, if you're choosing a product on Amazon and it comes down to one that has a long list of positive reviews or one that has no reviews, chances are you're going to go with the reviewed version, right? If your prospect visits your website which has great testimonials, and your competitor's website which has none, you're the stronger candidate.

Make your testimonials stronger by telling a story rather than a generic "Joe was great, installed our window on time and we're very happy". A little context could make this testimonial into so much more, for example:

"A large double pane window in our family room had become foggy-looking over the past few years. We were concerned about mold growing so we needed to get it fixed. Joe and his team were so professional, the process to replace the panes was really easy — they were very responsive, came to the house on schedule every time, and tidied up after they were done. We'll be using them for all of our future glass needs!"

If IGU replacements make up a large part of your business then there's a good chance this problem and associated concerns will resonate with prospective customers. They are then reassured that your company can address the issue in a stress-free way, which sounds all the more impressive coming from someone who has experienced it firsthand.

An up-to-date Portfolio

We've talked before about the importance of having a great portfolio of work on your website but it's worth reiterating. Your portfolio is the proof that you know what you're doing.

We see so many glazing websites that only have a few poor quality or old photos of their work. Update your website portfolio often so it's an accurate reflection of your capabilities and use a decent camera so the image quality doesn't do your great work more harm than good.

You could up your portfolio game by taking before and after photos, or really raise the bar with a timelapse video like these glaziers in the UK did:

https://youtu.be/4sk6776XwiM

Contact information

You want people to contact you so having contact information on your website should seem like a given, right? Too many businesses limit themselves by trying to dictate how they want the customer to contact them, for example only putting a contact form on their site, or only listing a phone number. The less options you provide: a) the less trustworthy you look, and b) the higher chance you have of losing a prospect. Not everyone wants to pick up the phone and not everyone wants to use an online form, let the customer decide how they want to connect with you.

Providing a physical address shows your prospects that you're real and you exist in the physical world, even if you don't actually expect customers to visit your premises.

You can't afford to ignore trustworthiness

You may think "I'm already getting inquiries from my website, why bother with any of this?" The answer is: you don't know how many potential inquiries you're losing. Spend a little time making your website reassuring to prospective customers so they know you're worth reaching out to.