Do Testimonials Matter if Nobody Reads Them?

Do your real estate testimonials matter if nobody reads them?

Well... yes, they do. Just by virtue of "being there" they enhance your reputation and your standing with people who visit your website - or your profile here on Active Rain. 

But they do you even MORE good if people read them. 

This week I learned some new ways to ensure that your visitors not only notice that your past clients like you enough to write you thank you notes and/or take the time to send a testimonial, but that they actually read what those happy clients had to say. 

As soon as I get time, I'm going to put some of these ideas to work on my own site. In the meantime, I wrote about them in my Thursday newsletter, which you can find below...

Marte Cliff's Thursday Newsletter   August 7, 2014 Quotes of the Week   "Success isn’t something that you do on the outside, success is something that you are on the inside. The rest will follow."   ~Chuck Danes ~~~   "You enhance your chances for success when you understand that your yearning power is more important than your earning power."   ~Zig Ziglar   ~~~   "Worry is a misuse of the imagination."   Business Executive, Dan Zadra   From Marte's In-box   "I got it. It's great! I love it. This is what I wanted."   Zoya S. in Florida ~~~ Do You Make this Marketing Mistake?   Do your marketing materials invite potential clients to visit your website - only to chase them away after they arrive?     Some do.   Here's how it happens: The agent mails or emails a specific offer, such as: "You're invited to www.mysite to view bank-owned homes for sale in MyTown."    The hope is, of course that the visitor will view the homes, then call for an appointment. But since that might not happen immediately, said agent wants to capture information from those who were interested enough to follow the link.   And that's where they pick up the stick to chase those visitors away.    In his new e-book, Marketing Success Secrets, Herschell Gordon Lewis tells of getting such an invitation.    When he arrived at the specified site he first had to enter his zip code and email address. Then he was forwarded to a page where he found pictures of homes - no prices.   But yes, there was another link. This one said "For Details Click Here."   Then he met the closed door. He'd been "invited," but to gain entry he had to pay: He was required to "register."    You browse the Internet. Do YOU want to give your full name, mailing address, phone number, etc. just to view a page and see if you're interested?    Some will. Many won't. They'll leave and go where they can browse in private. ~~~ What can you do instead?  Offer a free report - in this case, it could be tips on buying foreclosures.  Offer to send information about new listings And whatever you do, don't ask for TOO much information.    A side note...   Real estate agents aren't the only ones who make this mistake. I ran into a similar closed door while shopping for a new wood stove.   I couldn't learn details or prices without leaving my name, address, etc.   I looked - and purchased - elsewhere.  Unread testimonials only do half the job ... Make them work harder You know testimonials are important. They're a third- party validation of your professionalism, your caring, your persistence, your expertise, and your skills.   Their presence on your website is an indication that your past clients liked you well enough to take time to write you a note of thanks – or even to write something purposely for you to use as a testimonial.   That's good. Websites without any testimonials are a bit suspect. If you have none, your potential clients might think: "Didn't ANYBODY like this person's service?"   Testimonials are such an important indication of an agent's nature that when I write an agent bio I ask for links and read them all before I begin. Praise from past clients gives me that valuable insight into what makes an individual exceptional.   There's just one problem.   According to marketing guru Steve Slaunwhite, eye path studies show that most readers merely glance at them. They want to know they exist, but they don't take the time to actually read them. And if they're good, you DO want people to read them.   Since Steve is a master marketer, he came up with a solution to the problem. In fact, he came up with a few.   1. Give your testimonial a headline. Pull a key statement from your client's words and build a headline around it. Then, even if prospects don't read the entire testimonial, they'll get the key message. Imagine a page full of testimonials, each with a headline making a different statement about your service. Need an example? Here's one from my client Darryl West's website.    VERY COOL UNDER FIRE "Very cool under fire, Darryl is an excellent broker who is a proactive and flexible negotiator. We worked together to close escrow on a residential property that many would have tossed the towel in."   2. Bold key sections. You know bold type works to call attention to points you're making in your blog posts and your letters. Try bolding just one sentence or one key statement within a sentence in each of your testimonials.   Here's an example:"Just wanted to drop you a message and tell you how much I appreciated the way you handled the sale of my house! We had a contract within 48 hours for the exact amount I wanted, and we closed in less than 30 days."    Choose carefully. Bold type draws eyes, so think "If my visitor reads just one line, which line should it be?"    3. Weave some of your testimonials into the body copy on your site – or even into your prospecting letters, blog posts, etc.   For example, you can add something like: As recent homebuyer Jerry Jones said, "Buying a home in this competitive environment isn't easy, but Joe had the patience to stay with us and get the job done."   4. Write success stories/case histories. Take a detailed testimonial and turn it into a success story by adding some of your own commentary. Tell about the obstacles you overcame or something funny or unusual that happened along the way. Of course, stories need titles, so write one that will draw your readers in to see what it's all about.   If you want to take that a step farther … you can create page-long case histories. Get someone to interview both you and your client and write the story of how you led them through the minefields all the way to success. For extra punch, include a photo of you with those clients.  One more thing... be creative Testimonials don't need to simply occupy a page on your website.  Get them noticed more often by following some of the ideas in this blog post.  Do you need more testimonials?  If you need more testimonials, but are afraid to ask, use the suggestion in this blog post.    That's all for today. Until next week... keep selling!   marte@copybymarte.com   P.S. Yes! If your website needs an update or your bio is tired, I can help. Just get in touch! Copy by Marte, 1794 Blue Lake Road, Priest River, ID 83856 208-448-1479 / marte@copybymarte.com / www.copybymarte.com

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marte@copybymarte.com
www.copybymarte.com

Priest River, Idaho
208-448-1479

 

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