Reputation Management For Security Companies: Build Trust And Win Clients

Good reputation=Good business. Bad reputation? Bye, bye, business.

It’s that simple. Business reputation can mean the difference between success and bankruptcy. If prospects do not trust you, they won’t use your security services- and you’ll have no business. Especially since security guard companies are built on reputations of reliability, expert training, visibility and professionalism, reputation management for security companies is critical for growth. 

The Importance of Reputation Management

To show how much reputation management matters, take a cautionary look at LowBar Security, a fictional security guard business that serves as a perfect example of WHAT NOT TO DO when working on your security firm’s online reputation. Study just 6 of LowBar Security’s “misses.”

Case Study: LowBar Security—A Cautionary Tale

DESIGNED AN AWFUL WEBSITE

The best thing you can say about LowBar Security’s website is that it is…online. Designed by someone’s cousin’s brother-in-law who took a web class, it is a stellar example of how to immediately lose any potential client’s trust. The blurry clip art, spelling errors, and hard-to-read red text on a blue background (the worst colors for readable online text!) are amateurish. Worse yet, it’s not designed to work smoothly on mobile devices- which is what most prospects use to surf the web. LowBar Security’s website also uses no SEO keywords in headlines, nor high quality content, or area-specific mentions of services. 

What should LowBar Security do for their website instead?

• Hire a trained web designer (or at least used a current website builder).
• Make sure the website looks professional (with no typos or grammar mistakes).
• Design it to be easy to read (e.g. WebAIM’s contrast checker is a free tool that helps with text color/readability).
• Prioritize a mobile-optimized website that loads quickly on a phone, fits its screen, has big-enough buttons and links, with adjustable layout.
• Use SEO strategy on the website (e.g. keywords, backlinks to other trusted related sites) to attract organic traffic and rank well when potential clients are searching on the internet.
• Attract visitors with blogs that showcase security tips, industry news, or case studies whose topics may resonate with potential clients. 
• Add videos to the website that explain the company’s services, introduce employees, present client testimonials, or roll out current security topics. 
• Advertise free security assessments on your website- to highlight your security expertise (and possibly generate potential clients from those that try the free assessment). 

IGNORED LOCAL SEO PRESENCE

Lou, the manager at LowBar Security, is not interested in wasting his time online when he has guards to monitor and clients to handle. He’s heard of the free Google Business Profile that lets businesses manage their online profile, but he doesn’t have the time to work on it. “Too much trouble!” Lou says.

What should LowBar Security do better for their SEO presence?

• Realize that Google Business Profile is a FREE tool that increases a company’s online visibility in local SEO rankings. 
• Use the tool so prospects can call or message directly from their search result. 
• Utilize Google Business Profile to improve security company reviews since this tool helps a business collect and respond to customer reviews. 

REFUSED TO INVEST IN PAID LOCAL SEO ADVERTISING

REFUSED TO INVEST IN PAID LOCAL SEO ADVERTISING- Manager Lou is very proud of his ideas for advertising LowBar Security. “Those bulk email lists, along with our ads in Apartment Magazine, reach lots of people, and they’re not as expensive as some other advertising too,” he boasts. 

What should LowBar Security do better for their advertising?

• Lou could use more targeted advertising such as direct mail postcards or flyers to local neighborhoods or nearby commercial zones, instead of bulk email or magazine ads that broadly target but may not reach the relevant local leads in LowBar Security’s area.
• Billboards, bus benches, vehicle wraps, trade shows and even sponsorship of local sports teams could be better marketing to target potential clients in LowBar Security’s immediate service area. 
• LowBar Security could use Google Ads with SEO targeted words and locations that reach local audiences. (Unlike legacy advertising methods, Google Ads are Cost-per-Click (CPC) averaging around $3 for search ads and $0.75 for display ads, with cost variations for cities and security type). 

NEVER CARED ABOUT CUSTOMER REVIEWS

LowBar Security has never put much value on customer reviews. They don’t get reviews via a Google Business Profile- since manager Lou won’t take the time to use it. Sometimes a company rep collects handwritten comment cards from customers, and Lou has used a couple of those quotes on their website to post positive feedback. They have never responded to any comment cards with complaints- there’s one about a rude guard with sunglasses that fell asleep in the patrol car, and another about a guard who was late for his shift. 

How can LowBar Security use customer reviews- both good and bad- to better manage their reputation?

• Use real testimonials from clients to give positive examples of the company’s services to prospective clients- such social proof provides trust and credibility for the company. 
• A steady stream of reviews can be like free 24/7 advertising. 
• When a company responds to all reviews- both positive and negative- it can illustrate that the company is attentive, proactive, professional, and customer-centric. Even responding well to a negative review can indicate that a company works with customers to achieve client satisfaction. 
• Frequent positive reviews show Google that your business is active and trustworthy– which aids the company’s local SEO ranking in local search results. 
• Negative or mixed reviews can offer valuable insight into areas for improvement. 

NEGLECTED SERVICE PARTNERSHIPS

A local alarm installation company once approached LowBar’s manager Lou about partnering their businesses together. He suggested they team up to offer customers a package deal- a 3 month discount of LowBar’s security patrols when customers install an alarm or CCTV system. They could even cross-advertise on each other’s websites. Lou said, “Nah, we don’t really do that kind of thing.” Lou doesn’t like introducing the company to HOA boards, small business associations, or chambers of commerce either. He says,“I don’t like swapping business cards with dog groomers, coffeeshops- and especially HOA folk arguing about flower beds and mailbox paint.”

How can LowBar Security do better when partnering with local businesses to promote the company?

• Partnering with a related company is a great strategy to tap into pre-build customer networks for community credibility and recognition. 
• Smart security companies build strong relationships with complimentary local businesses to gain local referrals from their clients. 
• Local clients are looking for familiar faces with proven local visibility. 
• Solid business partnerships build a trustworthy reputation with more good reviews, testimonials, and credibility boosts.

NOT USED SOCIAL MEDIA WELL

LowBar Security’s Facebook page is painful to behold- it has one fuzzy photo of a LowBar patrol car, basic NAP info, and lists three employees that were employed during the Bush administration. There are no recent posts, client updates, or indication that the business is still active. Ditto for their sparse LinkedIn page. They promote nothing on Instagram, YouTube or TikTok.

What should LowBar Security do differently with social media to improve their reputation?

• Activate social pages- a basic launch would take 1 intro post, 1 introduction post of your team, vehicles, etc., 1 review or testimonial, 1 promo. Photos of the company logo or uniform, company building, or motto, etc. are good. At least 1-2 photo updates or posts a week keep the company looking active. These small efforts net big worthwhile results- since Google “trusts” social pages like Facebook and LI, a company’s local SEO visibility is boosted when they use those social pages. 
• LinkedIn is especially good for B2B marketing and hiring, and can be used to recruit better guards/employees. 
• Using any social media is low-cost effective marketing that builds a company’s reputation- demonstrating an active company, with credible services, and professional employees.
• Social media can improve a company’s social standing with reviews, testimonials and shout-outs.
• Advertise community involvement, charity work, support of local schools or teams online- it can establish a company as legitimate and trustworthy.

In short, building trust and winning clients through reputation management is essential for every security company. Please don’t follow the bad examples of the fictional LowBar Security Company! From a professional website and strong SEO keywords to skillful social media, every company’s reputation becomes their brand- and a key to growth in a competitive marketplace.

If you need help with your reputation-building efforts, simplification of sales, or tools to manage operations, let The City Guards help. The City Guards is a trusted security industry resource with the innovative software tools to grow your company.