5 Ways to Get More (and Better) Online Reviews

You do a great job for your clients. So, obviously, you’d love for them to shout that from the rooftops, so-to-speak, in the form of glowing online reviews. That would certainly boost your real estate marketing results!

How do you make that happen?

One option is to do nothing and hope that a happy client will take the time to post a review. That can certainly occur. But let’s face it: even a client who thinks you’re the greatest agent on the planet may not write a review. They might not even think of it.

A far better approach is to be proactive. In fact, doing just a few simple things can easily double the number of online accolades you get. And because so many people check out online reviews these days, you’ll get more real estate agent leads, too.

Consider the following ideas:

1. “Listen” for reviews. When a client says something positive about you, ask if they wouldn’t mind posting that as an online review. Say something like, “Thank you for saying that I respond to your calls and emails so promptly. I appreciate you noticing that. If you get a chance, would you mind posting that as a review on [insert website.]?”
2. Show off your current reviews. When doing listing presentations, show prospects online reviews from happy clients. This will not only improve your chances of getting the listing, it will also plant a seed. When the prospect becomes a client, they’ll remember and might also post a review.
3. Send a special email. Send an email to your best past clients asking if they post online reviews and, if so, would they mind posting one about you. This technique works best if you’ve built loyalty with your past clients with a good real estate client referrals system. If you haven’t, start now.
4. Ask at the right time. When is that? Within a few weeks after a successful transaction. Writing in com, Andrew Shotland warns, “The longer you go from the time of service to the time of request, the likelihood of getting reviews drops precipitously.” So don’t wait months to ask a happy client for a review. The ideal time is 60-90 days after the move.
5. Stay in touch. You’re far more likely to get reviews from past clients if you’ve built a good relationship with them. That means staying in touch, particularly with those who were delighted with your services and, therefore, likely to say great things about you. A monthly real estate newsletter, as part of an overall real estate marketing system, is the best way to do that.

Who doesn’t want more glowing online reviews? They look great in your marketing materials, are good for the ego, and can help you generate more real estate agent leads.

So, which of the five techniques above will you implement this week?