Author: Kelly Cruz, Marketing Coordinator – Realty Partners LLC
Sarasota, FL. December 3rd, 2021
Reviews are powerful in real estate as it proves that you work hard in your business. According to realtor.com, 97% of all consumers read online reviews and it takes an average of about 10 reviews before they trust a business. This is why it is important not only to have good reviews, but to also have several reviews and on multiple platforms.
How do you get reviews? Some of your buyers or sellers will leave reviews for you on their own, but for the most part you will need to ask. In fact, three quarters of consumers will write reviews if asked. After you have closed a deal with a successful transaction and you feel that your customers were satisfied then follow up with them via email with a link to a platform to leave a review. Once they have left you a review, send them a small gift card with a thank you.
As mentioned, it is important to use multiple platforms for your reviews and it’s best to prioritize a few that work best for you. We have created a short list of platforms you may want to use below.
Zillow is made specifically for real estate and REALTORS®. They offer reviewers to give star ratings based on a series of different skills.
Google is usually everyone’s go to when searching just about anything. Consider creating a Google Business account so that you are easy to search for and your reviews show up on the google search results.
Realtor.com is a popular site that buyers use for both home searches and to locate REALTORS®. Be sure to set up your Realtor.com account if you haven’t already so buyers can find you and past customers can rate you.
Facebook is to many the “holy grail” of news, interests, and business pages. Make sure you set up a Facebook Business page and use it regularly. This is a great place for buyers to see your listings and reviews.
Real Satisfied is provided for standard Realty Partners agents and works wonders for reviews. Once you have a closing, you can send a survey and review request directly to your customers. They receive an email with the request and you can offer them a $5 starbucks gift card for completing a review right from the platform. Real Satisfied also allows you to share reviews and testimonials straight to your Facebook, Twitter and Realtor.com accounts.
Now that you are familiar with some of the most popular platforms for reviews, it’s time to decide which ones work best for you. Don’t be intimidated by asking for your reviews, in fact if you have asked and they don’t respond try again in another month because they very well may have just breezed over the email by mistake. Better yet send them a text reminder.
Remember to respond to all reviews both positive and negative. Be grateful for the feedback and offer to “make right” any issues you can with customers that felt you have failed them. Consider reviews a source of referrals, they can be your best friend if you know how to properly use them to your advantage. Now go out there and get those reviews!