In the real estate world, reviews and opinions from past clients can be the defining factor in a buyer or seller’s decision to choose you as their agent. This has become even more relevant now that online reviews can be seen and posted just about anywhere.

The decision to buy or sell a home isn’t one that is made lightly. And as the biggest transaction in most people’s lives, they are going to be looking for an agent they feel that they can get to know and trust with their biggest asset. When deciding whether or not to trust you, finding glowing reviews about your business from real people can go a long way.

In fact, according to BrightLocal, last year 93% of consumers used the internet to find a local business, with 34% searching every day.

But even after being aware of all of this, many agents still hesitate to ask their clients for reviews.

WHY?

The biggest reason agents refrain from asking for testimonials is the fear of sounding ungenuine or pushy, and unfortunately that mindset causes them to miss out on valuable marketing resources that are proven to be highly effective.

When executed thoughtfully and using a personal approach, asking for testimonials becomes much less of a daunting task. And if you have provided your clients with exceptional service and a positive experience, they will more often than not gladly agree to write you an awesome review!

Ready to get your five star review? Here’s how to do it….

Pick the right time to ask

When it comes to asking for a testimonial, timing is everything. We suggest asking for a testimonial after you have finalized all of the details of the sale/purchase and can officially call the home closed. At this point in time, the amazing service you provided to your clients will still be fresh in their mind, and they will be excited to share their positive experience (and in great detail!).

Make posting reviews easy for your clients

When you ask your clients the favor of writing you a great testimonial, you should make the process easy for them. If you’re asking for them to write a review on a particular website or platform, make sure to send them the direct  link.

Another way to make the process easier for them is by providing them with a feedback survey with pre-written questions for them to answer. This relieves some of the pressure on them and solves the common problem of not knowing what to write. After they’ve filled out the survey, summarize their answers and ask if you can use it as a testimonial.

Here are some examples:

  1. What made you decide to hire me as your Realtor?
  2. What did I do best to help your home sale/search?
  3. How was I able to help you overcome…(a specific challenge you faced)?
  4. What could I have done better to improve your experience
  5. Would you recommend my real estate services to a friend or family member?

Put A System In Place

As your business grows and you become consumed by other responsibilities, it can be easy to let tasks like asking for testimonials slip…but don’t let it! Make the task of asking clients for testimonials a part of your sales closing process. Create a system you can follow every single time you close a sale. Something like…..

Start by thanking your client for their business, perhaps with a closing gift,  and ask if they would be willing to write or record a testimonial for you. If you don’t hear back, follow-up a few days later. Once you receive the review make sure to post it on your website and social media platforms right away (consider automating this process).  Lastly, don’t forget to send a thank you note to your client.

Want to take your client testimonials to the next level? Stand out online with high quality testimonial videos of your clients raving about your services. Check out this heartwarming video we created for one of our clients.

Contact us today to learn more about our HD real estate marketing videos.