Five Reminders From a Recent Client Tour That Any Business Can Put to Work
Some of your best marketing is probably already sitting in your business. Updated projects, photos and videos you’ve already taken, real customer stories, honest feedback, and happy customers can bring in new business without starting from scratch. The key is putting them to work instead of letting them sit on a shelf.
Our team was reminded of this during a recent tour of Landscape Structures Inc. (LSI). As we walked through their operation and talked with their team, the same ideas kept coming up. They weren’t new or complicated, but they were the kind of things every business means to do and doesn’t always get to. Here are five reminders from that day, and why each one matters.
Keep Your Project Section Updated
Your portfolio of projects shows people what’s possible before they ever pick up the phone. When a prospect looks through your recent work, they start to picture their own problem being solved. And trust us, if you make your work available, they will definitely look at it! A community member, consumer, decision-maker, or board member will see a project like theirs and think, “That’s exactly what we need.”
Updated projects also serve the people who love details. Some want to know the materials, the timeline, the challenge, and how you worked through it. A well-written project page gives them that information on their own schedule, and it builds trust before the first conversation.
There’s a search benefit too. Fresh, specific content helps Google understand what you do, where you do it, and who you help. AI tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews pull from the same kind of clear, detailed content when they recommend businesses. An outdated projects section tells both people and search engines that not much is happening (even if it is).
Put Your Photos, Videos, and Files to Work
A great photo isn’t doing anything for your business if it’s sitting on someone’s phone or in a forgotten folder. Those assets already cost you time and effort, so getting them in front of people is one of the easiest marketing wins you have.
Using what you already have also frees up time. Instead of starting from zero every time you need a social post or an example, you have a library ready to go. That means less pressure to come up with new ideas and more time to focus on running your business.
Sharing these assets with your team multiplies their value. When everyone knows where to find them, a salesperson can include a project photo in a follow-up email, or someone answering the phone can send a prospect what they’re asking for. A video can become a social post that sparks comments and conversation. Keep everything in one shared, organized spot, and remind your team it’s there.
Say “Tell Me More” to Get Better Customer Stories
Customers often tell you how happy they are or make comments that would be helpful to turn into a story for others to hear or read. Saying “Tell me more” and asking one more question usually brings out the details that make a story worth telling.
Start by asking what problem they were facing before they came to you. Then listen closely to how they describe the way you solved it. Their words matter more than yours, because future customers will recognize themselves in that language. Write it down right away while the details are fresh, or record the conversation.
Stories work because people see themselves in them. A prospect reading about someone with the same frustration feels understood, and they can picture the same result for themselves. Before you share a story publicly, ask the customer if they’re comfortable with it. Most people are happy to say yes, especially when you’ve helped them.
Close the Feedback Loop
Asking for feedback is only half the job. Closing the loop means you do something with it. Many businesses collect comments, surveys, or reviews and then let them sit, but the real value comes when that feedback gets shared with the people who need to hear it. Positive feedback should be celebrated. When a customer praises a team member, make sure that person hears it. Recognition feels good, and it shows everyone else what great work looks like, so it gets repeated.
Positive feedback can also point you to your next portfolio piece. When a customer is thrilled with the result, that project is probably one worth showing off. Add it to your projects page, pair it with photos you already have, and use the customer’s own words to tell the story. It’s one more way to make sure good work keeps working for you. Constructive feedback deserves the same attention. When something didn’t go well, sharing it helps your team fix the issue before it happens again. Customers notice when their input leads to real change, and that builds loyalty over time.
Turn Good Feedback into Reviews That’ll Send Traffic to Your Website
Ask for a review right when a customer shares something positive. That kind comment on the phone, in an email, or at the end of a project is the perfect moment, because the experience is fresh and they’re already happy. Too often those words stay in one conversation when they could be helping future customers decide to call you. Make it easy for them to say yes. Send a direct link to your Google review page so they don’t have to search for it, and keep the ask short and friendly. Something as simple as “We’re so glad that went well. Would you be willing to share that in a quick Google review?” is enough.
Reviews matter because they build trust with people who don’t know you yet. They also help you show up in local search results, and AI tools often look at reviews when recommending businesses. Once a review comes in, thank the customer with a reply. It shows you’re listening and gives the next reader one more reason to choose you.
Don’t Let These Habits Slide (Pun Totally Intended!)
Good intentions get buried under busy weeks, so put these habits on the calendar. A simple monthly or quarterly reminder keeps them moving. Pick a day to update a project, share a few photos with your team, check in on recent feedback, and follow up on review requests.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Start with the one that feels easiest, then build from there. Small, steady steps add up to more customer activity over time.
You likely have more marketing material than you realize, and these habits will help you do more with what you already have. If you’re not sure where to start, our team can help you sort through what you have & turn it into marketing that works for your business.
