How to Ask Past Real Estate Clients for Reviews
Online reviews and testimonials are a core part of building the social proof you need in club to convert online buyers and sellers. It'south the courage of getting clients to trust you.
Without reviews, it's hard to stand up out from the competition, and even more difficult to build a sustainable real estate career.
In this post, we're going to cover how to ask for real estate reviews and how to really get them. We'll also cover where to enquire for reviews, when to inquire, and why y'all need to exist collecting reviews.
Permit's become.
Why Bother With Real Estate Reviews?
Existent manor is a game of trust. In order to get clients, yous need them to trust you and your services. Client reviews and testimonials play a key part in creating that trust.
Every unmarried real estate agent needs to get reviews from their clients so that they can generate new leads and convert those leads into closed clients.
I read in a sales book a long time agone, something along the lines of, "When yous say it, it'due south bragging. When a customer says information technology, information technology's sales."
That proverb has stayed with me.
When agents create marketing pieces that say, "They're number one" or "They're the greatest agent in town" it's all bragging.
To effectively sell, you should rely on reviews from customers rather than bragging about yourself. Let your clients speak to how great of an amanuensis you are.
Become New Leads
Online real manor reviews, on the right platforms, volition assistance you bring in more organic, passive leads. These are leads that you don't have to become out and chase.
From personal feel, these leads are almost always more likely to convert into clients and are predetermined to piece of work with me by the fourth dimension they reach out to me. That ways I'm not competing with a ton of other agents for the lead.
How can you get more leads? Cheque out places where potential home buyers and sellers search for real manor agents — Zillow, Realtor.com, and Google, to name a few.
You will find that reviews play an important part in ranking real manor agents in search results.
Take Zillow equally an example. Their Agent Finder function ranks existent estate agents based on recent sales activity and reviews. The agents that become ranked — aside from those who are premier agents — have a high number of reviews compared to their competitors.
In today'southward marketplace, getting real estate reviews are absolutely critical to your long-term success equally a existent estate amanuensis, just it doesn't always seem like shooting fish in a barrel to get reviews.
When you lot build a profile with a ton of reviews, it tin can get a powerful, scalable marketing channel. The render on investment is astronomical, too.
Think about it… at that place is pretty much no price in getting reviews. At least not compared to other marketing options, like Zillow leads or direct postal service.
You can starting time to build a predictable business concern that generates consistent leads.
We've used Google to generate leads into our concern. For instance, we rank for keyword terms similar "realtor well-nigh me" and "realtor riverview".
Convert More Leads
Your reviews act as social proof to build trust and convert more leads. Ideally, your reviews should be used in all areas of your business organization — from social media, to your website, to review platforms, to your list presentations.
At every point in the process, your clients should see your reviews. One of my favorite things to do with my reviews is to take them and create Facebook and Instagram posts with the clients photo at endmost.
Looking to practice something similar? You can. Nosotros had our sign custom made at All Things Existent Estate. Take a await at their options and build your ain custom closing sign.
Our sign has something for buyers on one side and sellers on the other side.
Find ways to repurpose your leads and use them to convert more leads into customers.
Where To Become Reviews
In that location is no shortage of places to go reviews, only I would focus on the most important four: Google, Zillow, Facebook, and your brokerage's website.
Google Reviews
The near obvious and impactful place to start is with Google. If I was a new existent estate agent again, I would definitely start hither. Even if I'm just starting to get more than series about reviews, regardless of experience, I would get-go here, too.
First, Google is ane of the largest search engines, which means more than potential traffic to your website. Second, Google is ofttimes the starting betoken for many home buyers and sellers when they kickoff their home buying journeying.
Tons of buyers go to Google and type in queries like, "Homes for sale" or "Realtors in [city]".
So, there is a lot of need. Also, it's relatively easy to rank your Google My Business folio in the snack pack, and then information technology is to rank your agent profile on other platforms.
For instance, nosotros rank for of import keywords with only 13 reviews on Google. Yep, we rank because of more than but reviews, merely to rank in Zillow for the same zip code, I would need 200+ reviews. That's a tough hill to climb — fifty-fifty for me.
Commencement with Google because it's a loftier impact, low barrier platform to collect reviews.
To succeed with getting Google reviews — any reviews for that thing — y'all demand to make it as easy as possible for your client to write a review.
Often, real estate agents just enquire their clients to write them a Google review without providing instructions or a link to do and then.
That's a shame. It hurts the number of reviews yous tin go.
You tin provide your clients with a direct link to write reviews on Google. First, type in your business organisation name into Google.
This should pull up your Google My Business listing in the search results.
Adjacent, click on your "Reviews" right underneath all of the buttons. This volition pull up reviews, and in the peak right corner printing the "Write Review" button.
Don't actually write yourself a review. Once you accept washed that, copy and paste the URL that is in your web browser.
When you transport this link to your clients, it will automatically pull up the box for them to write and get out yous a review.
Don't make your clients get searching for how to write you a review. The easier you make everything for your clients, the easier it will be for them to write you lot a review.
Zillow (And Others)
Zillow is the largest real manor website and also houses i of the largest amanuensis directories. So, it makes sense to attempt to get reviews on a directory site like Zillow.
However, it'due south your business organization and you tin can prioritize other directory websites, like Realtor.com, if you want.
At that place are pros and cons to each site. Realtor.com has less traffic, just it's likely easier to rank in their directory than Zillow.
If you happen to take a niche, you might want to research niche-specific directories. For example, say y'all specialize in selling equus caballus properties. Yous could try to rank your contour on a site like Horseproperties.internet.
Are Zillow leads a part of your marketing plan or do you plan to make them part of your marketing programme? Then, yous definitely desire to focus on getting Zillow reviews.
Zillow has published their own content about the outcome of reviews for agents who participate in their Zillow Premier Agent program.
An important note: a majority of the traffic will go to the beginning three real estate agents. That ways to stand a gamble at getting leads from ranking in the agent directory, you need to exist in a top three spot.
On platforms like Zillow, that tin can exist a HUGE barrier. In my market, that takes virtually 200+ reviews. If you live in a smaller market place, y'all might have an easier time. I'm certain there are as well markets that are much more competitive than mine where the requirement might be 400+.
If you're but starting out as an agent or take a low number of reviews, I would look at building reviews on other platforms in improver to Zillow.
While these other sites get fewer traffic, you will exist able to go some of that traffic by ranking.
Null percent of a lot is still nada. It doesn't affair how much traffic Zillow gets if you can't rank in the top three.
Zillow and Google are both excellent platforms for generating and converting leads. Facebook, on the other hand, will play a larger role in lead conversion than atomic number 82 generation.
That'due south because of the fact that most people don't get to Facebook looking for a real manor agent.
However, you should nonetheless become real estate reviews on your Facebook page. First, it can help your page rank in Google — among other factors.
Second, the reviews can be used every bit social proof and shared to your audience on your Facebook page.
Practically everyone is on Facebook, today. If you opt-out of Facebook, Instagram is a skilful alternative and works the same way.
In add-on, your Facebook aqueduct will be the place you're sharing your social proof photos and testimonials. A review on Facebook tin can accompany a photo of a client at closing or in forepart of their home.
This is a powerful way to stand out and catch the attention of people in your network.
Your Broker Profile Website
Okay, this last one is relevant to only a select number of agents. When I was with Coldwell Banker, they featured a "Find An Amanuensis" function.
I ready out to rank my profile on Coldwellbanker.com. After four months in business, I managed to rank my agent contour in my expanse on Coldwell Broker'due south main website.
Within two weeks of existence ranked, I had a lead come in that was a buyer and seller. This fabricated a large difference in my career at the time. I was new and to have a heir-apparent and seller without having to pay Zillow leads or sit on floor time for hours was a large deal.
Not every brokerage will have an agent directory where they rank their agents by reviews. Mine did, so I took reward of it. If yours does, I encourage you lot to accept advantage of it, too.
How to Ask For Real Manor Reviews
Ask Early
Asking after a closing is a big mistake I see many agents make. I understand the reasoning behind waiting. The transaction is finally over and you finished delivering your services.
But, yous're making it harder for your clients to leave you a review. What are your clients doing afterwards closing? Many of them are moving. They're busy AF.
Your asking for a review gets buried in their mount of to-dos.
It's ameliorate to ask earlier closing.
Think about this: a majority of our service is done after the appraisal. At this point, information technology's usually the lender and title visitor that take work to do.
Also, recollect about when bounty is more often than not due every bit a list agent. Yes, it's paid at closing, but many listing agreements outline a clause that states a client is required to pay if we bring an acceptable offer.
For that reason, I oftentimes enquire every bit early in the process every bit possible. Often one time we become through inspections and before closings.
Always earlier closing.
Another point where you tin can ask for a review is when you get the clear to close. At this signal, you lot're just waiting until the closing can exist scheduled.
The clear-to-close is a happy point for clients, so information technology makes sense to inquire for a review here.
Inquire Often
In addition to asking early on, you need to enquire more often. Don't just ask in one case subsequently endmost. Frequency is generally better. If you are asking multiple times, don't let months get past.
You lot should ask in one case the endmost is scheduled, the day of closing (ideally before closing), and a calendar week later on closing.
These points in fourth dimension volition give you the best outcome and dramatically increase the results of getting reviews.
Give Them A Reason
Now, I'yard not a big fan of offering incentives, like prizes for reviews. In fact, on many platforms this actually violates their terms of service. Of form, it'due south difficult to track these practices and then most people get away with doing things like offer a contest in exchange for reviews.
And then, when I say requite them a reason, I'm not talking well-nigh a contest. I'm talking about a reason they intendance most. My review requests always comprise a stiff reason why they should leave me a review.
By and large, I say something similar this:
"Reviews are important and so that I tin make sure more than buyers and services get the kind of service you lot did. I want to build the community and brand sure anybody gets a adept realtor. You lot can help me in my effort by leaving a review."
I recruit my clients into my mission. I want them to assistance me become ranked so I can get clients and deliver a good service. I'chiliad trying to save clients from the bad existent estate agents and they can help me do this.
Leverage The Process
When it comes to making the process easier for your clients, you can leverage technology tools like RateMyAgent. For example, you can make a single request for a review that will send the reviews to Google and Facebook.
You lot don't need your clients to fill out a review on both platforms. This will improve your odds of getting a review and getting them on multiple platforms.
This software also allows yous to plow your reviews into ads on Google or Facebook — instantly boosting your social proof.
The advertizing feature is part of their paid plan, merely you can create an account and request reviews on their free program. It's a great fashion to consolidate your reviews, too, and create marketing collateral to include in your presentations or every bit a flier at open houses.
Final Thoughts on How to Ask for Real Estate Reviews
Getting reviews is an ongoing process that every existent manor agent needs to beginning today. Use these tips to get more reviews on diverse platforms. Recollect to ask early and inquire often. The easier you arrive for clients, the more reviews you're going to get.
Build up your reviews over fourth dimension and watch your business change every bit a result. Make it your goal to get a review from every single client or at least shoot for near 80%.
Source: https://dolinskigroup.com/agent-tips/how-to-ask-for-real-estate-reviews
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