In this day and age, online reviews are the referrals of the 21st century.
As a real estate agent, it's smart to pay attention to this new approach for choosing a business (and a real estate agent).
Because here are a few facts found in a recent survey by BrightLocal.com.
- A majority of people say online reviews are just as trustful as referrals from friends and family
- Nearly three-quarters say they trust a business more if they have positive reviews
- More than half said they are likely to visit a business' website if they see a favorable review
That's huge.
Think of how most people shop for products online.
If you use Amazon, for example, you are probably like just about every other American and read the reviews.
Some do seem bogus, both the positive and the negative reviews. Others may be questionable. You wonder how many are planted there by the seller.
But many also appear to be legitimate. Honest feedback from buyers.
All of these comments will have an impact on a consumer's decision.
As you know, today's prospects live online. They check their mobile devices every 5-10 minutes. They use their phones, tablets and laptops to continually search for information, products and services.
When looking for a real estate agent many are going to look for reviews.
Additionally, if you have positive online views, this can be a super-powerful marketing strategy to point out to prospects, both buyers and sellers.
Better yet, this marketing strategy is 100% free!
We know positive reviews are golden. But here's the hard part.
How do you generate them?
Many people will tell you they will give you a great review. But then get distracted or forget. Plus, after a home is sold, people are busy moving in and moving out.
Here's a good rule of thumb.
If you want something from someone, it's always smart to give something first.
One suggestion might be to provide market updates to a new homeowner.
Perhaps real estate market data on your website shows their home has gone up in value.
You might send them a note showing this increase.
Perhaps send them a chart indicating how prices in their neighborhood are trending upward...after they purchased their home and how they made a smart decision to buy when they did.
Maybe add a home value estimator tool to your website. Sure these are only rough estimates. But if that estimate is favorable, why not send it to clients?
After supplying customers with this data (or other follow-up strategies after the sale), then it is an optimal time to ask them for a referral.
Make the process as easy as possible.
Send them a link to your Google, Yelp or Facebook pages.
You could even suggest a few words for them to write. Or show them examples. I know this sounds a bit odd, but it is always amazing to me how many people struggle to write just a simple note. But they do. So help them.
Because here's a very upbeat statistic for the 21st Century as well.
Most consumers surveyed said they would be willing to provide a review if asked by a business.
That's a fantastic opportunity for a referral.
First of all you want to be sure their comments will be positive. Perhaps ask them first if they were pleased with your services.
Next, as we said, many people will say they will give a nice review or write a referral letter, but never get around to doing it.
Send them something to set the process in motion.
What do you think?
Want to share any suggestions on how to generate these powerful online reviews?
Note: If you are looking to upgrade your website with real estate market data or other tools, visit the experts at Home Junction for a free initial consultation. They will be glad to offer suggestions on how to generate leads and positive reviews.
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