We all want to be liked. But asking someone to review us and put it in writing can be a bit daunting. The fact is that real estate is a referral business, and referrals are testimonial reviews about you. So asking for them needs to be standard operating procedure.
Real Estate Reviews
Your clients are searching the internet for homes, and probably for a real estate professional. They are also asking friends and family for referrals. Savvy clients are also checking you out on the internet and seeing what others are saying about you. Even if you are just starting out in real estate, you might have reviews from previous professions that speak to your abilities. And just like they are checking you out, remember you should be checking yourself out by monitoring your online reputation.
- Closing – The best time to ask for a review is when someone is pleased with you. So then a closing might be the right time. Seriously? Not sure that’s the best time. A buyer and seller have a lot on their mind at the closing and asking them to fill out one more item might push them over the edge. But don’t wait long. That good feeling can wear off fast! Send a thank you note to the buyer or seller and let them know how much you enjoyed working with them. End the note with a request for a review.
- Online Reviews – You can find reviews at Google, Yelp and Zillow – among others. Creating a link to Yelp on your social media links will help visitors learn that they you are active on Yelp and perhaps “guide” them to leave a review. Once you set up your Zillow profile, clients can quickly leave a review there. Adding a Zillow review widget to your website will also help in letting visitors learn that they can do the same. While you might be active on Facebook, you should look into Google+. As you increase your involvement, you may find leads as well as some reviews. NOTE: Make sure you read each companies policy on their review process.
- Review Management Services – Yes, you can outsource this task! There are companies that will help you with your review process by creating quick forms and email blasts to client lists and much more. You can find a list of some of these services on our Resource Directory.
Take a look at this past year. If you closed on 20 transactions and only have 1 review, you might want to revisit that. So what is your strategy to increase your testimonials and reviews?