Any savvy real estate agent will tell you that having a strong reputation isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity. In today’s digital world, online reviews rule the roost when it comes to getting insight into working with an agent. They’re the real deal – no bias, just raw truth. Still, picking out the best reviews for your website adds a nice extra touch to your online presence.
The first thing that prospective clients are going to look at before doing business with you are your reviews. Both buyers and sellers want to know if you’re knowledgeable, competent, and if past clients would use your services again.
Consider this: imagine you’re in the market for a new phone. You come across a brand that you’ve never heard of before and want to learn more about its quality and performance. The first place you’ll look is probably reviews to see what other people are saying about it. Scanning different websites and Reddit threads, you see nothing but happy reviews that praise the phone’s durability and performance. As a result, you bite the bullet and order the phone because you know that you are likely to have a similar positive experience.
In other words, it’s rare to blindly make a decision without reading through several online reviews.
Why are glowing reviews important?
Generating glowing reviews should be one of your main focuses when it comes to building your real estate business. They represent real-life experiences and provide potential clients a preview of the quality, value, and reliability of your business.
They provide a type of social proof that is much more impactful than traditional advertising and can significantly influence someone’s decision to interact with your real estate business. No matter how established you are in your career, understanding the power of online reviews will give you several key advantages:
Trust and Credibility
At the end of the day, the more authentic your brand feels, the better.
Trust and credibility are the cornerstone of a successful real estate business, and positive reviews play a crucial role in reinforcing these pillars. On the surface they may seem like just compliments, but on a psychological level, they serve as evidence that you deliver on promises and can meet your client’s needs.
Buying or selling a property involves a substantial financial component, and your clients are going to want to make sure they’re working with a credible and trustworthy agent. Positive reviews act as tangible affirmations that you know how to navigate the complexities of real estate transactions and can deliver results.
Working with a real estate agent is a very intimate experience since you spend so much time getting to know your clients on a personal level. As a result, real estate reviews often provide more detailed and personal accounts of your buyer/seller’s experience working with you.
The more settled you become in your real estate career, the more reviews you’ll accumulate. Soon you’ll have a track record of happy clients, reinforcing the notion that you have a proven history of success in satisfying your clients’ needs.
First Impressions Matter
Reviews can play a pivotal role in influencing someone’s decision to work with you, especially if their friends and family don’t have recommendations on a good agent. Potential clients will turn to the internet to research and vet real estate agents before initiating any direct contact.
If you don’t have any reviews on your Google listing page or social media pages, potential buyers and sellers might be hesitant to reach out. They need to feel confident about what it’s like to work with you and reviews documenting previous experiences can leave potential clients with the reassurance they’re looking for.
Apart from impacting a human’s first impression, reviews also play a part in how search engines view your real estate business. Websites like Google will recognize and reward websites that receive a high volume of positive feedback. Not only does this organically boost your online presence, but it also improves your website’s SEO, resulting in increased visibility.
Competitive Edge
At some point in your life, your parents have probably warned you about following the crowd (“if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?”). While your parents might have found it reckless, there’s a psychological principle that believes people generally prefer to buy products and services that are seen as popular.
Popularity = risk mitigation
People assume that a brand that has glowing reviews – aka is popular – will offer better value and performance. There’s a psychological assumption that only good products are popular.
Now, don’t mistake this for a psychology article! Apply this train of thought to the real estate industry, and you’ll start to connect the dots on how reviews can give you a competitive edge.
Real estate is a highly competitive field where clients have multiple options for representation, and clients may feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to find the agent that’s right for them. Good reviews are like a spotlight, highlighting your professionalism, popularity, and commitment to providing exceptional services.
How to Ask for a Review from Clients
Asking for reviews can be a bit of a challenge, right? Where do you even begin? Which platform should you point your clients to? Should you only reach out to the ones you know will shower you with praise?
Without a system in place, you might end up with only a handful of reviews. If you haven’t already tried these tactics, then here’s a guide to gently nudge your clients into sharing their thoughts about working with you.
Get comfortable with the art of asking
More often than not, real estate agents put off asking for a review because they don’t want to be seen as a pushy salesperson. However, there’s a fine line between being aggressive and being assertive, and striking that balance is crucial. Aggressive folks can be downright off-putting and seen as pushing an agenda to satisfy their own business needs, while assertive individuals know what they want and how to effectively position their ask.
The best way to ease into asking for something from someone? Practice. Sure, you can start by flexing those asking muscles outside the review realm, but eventually, reach out to past clients who genuinely enjoyed working with you. They’re like the low-hanging fruit in the review orchard, and asking them to leave a review and share their experience is a fantastic way to get the hang of asking everyone.
After you’ve successfully navigated these initial asks and scored a review or two, keep going. Make it a habit to ask every client who closes a deal with you. Some will, some won’t – that’s the nature of the game. But as you continue to lay the groundwork and refine your approach over time, you’ll notice the proportion of clients saying yes steadily increasing.
The key here is consistency. If you make asking a natural part of your routine, your clients won’t even blink an eye when you pop the question.
Asking for written reviews is great, but we recommend mixing in a couple of video ones as well. Now, you might be wondering, “Why should I bother with video testimonials when written ones seem sufficient?” Well, let me tell you, video testimonials are the secret ingredient that takes your business to the next level. They’re like adding a perfect cherry on top of your favourite sundae – they just make everything taste better. They’re like the “real people, not actors” of marketing.
When talking about video content, we of course need to mention how effective they are in grabbing people’s attention. They’re the perfect way to keep visitors on your website for longer, plus they’re highly shareable across various social media platforms, which naturally boosts your brand’s visibility and reach. It’s a win-win situation all around!
Shift the focus away from you
Let’s face it – people are busy, especially those who have just navigated the intricate (or overwhelming) process of buying or selling a house! While they may genuinely care about you as a person and might have had a fantastic experience working with you, the truth is, they might not be overly enthusiastic about doing something just because you’d love them to.
A great way to phrase it is “Your review has the power to help me improve by refining my systems, eliminating roadblocks, and ultimately providing an even better experience for future clients.” Highlight the transformative power they hold in shaping your business. Most people find the prospect of contributing to positive change more enticing than simply doing something to give you warm fuzzies (no offense!).
Set expectations early on
Bringing up reviews with your buyers and sellers doesn’t have to be the first thing you discuss; it might feel a bit strange unless you’ve already built a strong rapport. However, at some point early in the relationship, it’s a good idea to bring up the topic of reviews and explain how they play a crucial role in your business, and that you’ll be reaching out for their feedback later in the process.
When explaining why you’re asking for reviews, provide context that resonates with your clients. Avoid relying on lead generation or business development reasons; instead, frame it in a way that aligns with their experience. For instance:
“Reviews help buyers and sellers find me on Google”
“Many people read reviews before choosing an agent—just like you might have!”
“I ask all my clients for reviews to find my areas of improvement”
People will often wait until after closing to write a review, as this is when they’ll have a full picture idea of what working with you is like. Things can get hectic after closing, so we recommend sending a reminder about once every week until they find time to fill it out. It’s a good idea to explain this process to your clients to help mitigate any potential annoyance down the line.
Simplify the process
The key to securing reviews lies in simplifying the process for your buyers and sellers. Streamlining their experience not only increases your chances of getting reviews, but also ensures their feedback is accurate, impactful, and helpful for your business. Consider the following strategies to make leaving a review as effortless as possible:
Where do you want them to leave a review?
Pay attention to the platforms your clients are likely to use for leaving reviews. The most popular places for real estate reviews include RankMyAgent, Facebook, Google, and Yelp, but should you be trying to get reviews on all of them? That can be overwhelming, both for your clients and for you.
There are a ton of sites that are real estate-specific – like Zillow or realtor.com – that you could focus on. However, one thing to consider is that these sites require an account in order to leave a review. This might not be a big deal to many of your clients, but it is another step for your clients to take.
We recommend focusing on Facebook and Google as your primary review platforms, as this tends to be where the majority of people will read reviews.
A common question we get asked is “should I add reviews to my website?” The short answer is yes and no.
Google reviews can be embedded on your web using third party plugins. This is a handy way of showing off how awesome your business is, with zero effort on your part to manually upload it. The easy way doesn’t come without a catch! If you happen to attract a negative review, it could seriously backfire.
Instead of rolling the dice, why not take matters into your own hands? Handpick the cream of the crop – those stellar reviews – and manually sprinkle them across your site. You’ll have more control over what shows up, and you can avoid any potential PR nightmares.
Placing reviews across your site should be strategic. Gone are the days of having one page dedicated to all your testimonials (which nobody reads). Make it easy for users to find the relevant reviews when they need it by placing buyer reviews next to your listings, and seller reviews on your seller pages.
By doing this, you’re not just showing off your rave reviews – you’re giving your customers the inside scoop exactly when they’re ready to make a decision. It’s a win-win: boosting your credibility while keeping things user-friendly!
Provide direct links
Picture this: your clients have just had an amazing experience working with you, and they’re eager to share their glowing feedback. But in today’s fast-paced world, convenience is key. By providing direct links to review platforms like Google or Facebook, you’re removing any barriers that might deter them from leaving that all-important review.
With just a click, they’re whisked away to the review platform of their choice, ready to sing your praises.
So, next time you reach out to clients for feedback, don’t forget to include those direct links. It’s a simple yet powerful way to streamline the review process and showcase your stellar reputation for the world to see.
Bonus: add it to your email signature!
Offer prompts
When it comes to the real estate process, it’s important to recognize that clients might not remember every single detail. After all, buying or selling a property can be a whirlwind experience filled with countless decisions and interactions.
Imagine your client, exhausted after a weekend of touring multiple properties. They might have lost track of which house had the stunning kitchen or the spacious backyard. That’s where you come in – it’s your chance to spoon-feed them the key highlights they might have forgotten. Remind them about the charming Victorian with the wraparound porch or the modern condo with the skyline views. By jogging their memory and highlighting the standout features, you’re not just refreshing their recollection but also guiding them on what to include in their review.
And let’s not forget about sellers! With so much happening during the selling process, it’s easy for details to slip through the cracks. Your suggestion to lower the price for better visibility might have been overshadowed by the whirlwind of open houses and negotiations. Take the initiative to remind them of the strategies you implemented to attract buyers and get the best possible outcome. Whether it’s through a friendly email or a quick phone call, gently nudge them to recall the moments that made a difference.
By spoon-feeding clients the information you’d like them to remember and include in their review, you’re not just ensuring accuracy but also shaping the narrative in a positive light. After all, happy clients are more than willing to sing your praises – they just might need a little help remembering all the reasons why.
To conclude
Online reviews are a great way to get real-time insight into what’s happening with your business. They offer a direct line of communication with your clientbase, provide valuable feedback and insights that can shape the future of your operations.
And this holds true for both the good and bad ones.
Positive reviews act as, well, positive reflections on your real estate business. They serve as powerful endorsements that highlight your strengths and reinforce your brand’s credibility in the eyes of potential clients, persuading them to choose your services over competitors.
Conversely, negative reviews might catch you off guard, but they present an opportunity for growth and improvement. They offer a candid glimpse into areas where your business may be falling short, allowing you to address issues promptly and identifying shortcomings. Embracing constructive criticism demonstrates accountability and a commitment to excellence, ultimately fostering trust and loyalty among your customer base.
