Testimonials play a major part in growing any business. You can be the best of the best, but if no one knows how good you are, then why would they choose you?
It’s important to gain reviews from your clients to create brand trust. A potential client is much more likely to become an active client if they have read good reviews about your company.
Potential clients generally want to hear about people’s experiences and opinions to make a decision for themselves. Think about when you are booking a holiday, would you book a hotel which has no reviews or has poor reviews? Probably not, and the reason why? Because you think that you might have a bad experience.
Unsure of how and where you should be asking clients to write you a review? Here are the top places you should consider to gain strong online trust:
If you’re searching for something online, where is the first place you would look? Google! Google is the number one search engine, so you need to be noticed on here to become a successful Estate Agency. Create a Google My Business Listing if you haven’t already done so to start obtaining Google Reviews, this is especially beneficial for local Estate Agencies trying to target a local audience. Your Google My Business listing will appear when someone searches for your business, showing your Estate Agencies reviews to the right of the Google result.
Google is a great place to receive a review as it’s likely to be viewed by a large number of people and it’s much more difficult to fake a review. The more reviews you gain on Google, the more chance you have of being noticed by potential clients and don’t forget to reply to every comment, especially any negative ones to solve any future problems.
Top Tip – Only users with a Google account can leave reviews on Google. So when asking for a review, ensure that you tell your clients that they need to be logged into their Google account (if they have one).
See an example of what your Google Reviews should look like here>
Facebook is the world’s most popular Social Media network and with over 1 billion users, receiving reviews on Facebook will build brand trust. Sharing your latest properties on Facebook can generate a lead before the client has visited your website or office (if posted right). So seeing good reviews on Facebook will create a positive impression of your business. The majority of your clients are likely to already be active on Facebook, and on this platform, it’s quick and easy to leave a review so don’t forget to ask for them! Especially if you’re already connected with them!
See our example of Facebook reviews and leave us a review here>
Create a page/ section on your website for testimonials. If a client has left you a review on Google, Facebook or any other internet site, then add it to your website. If a potential client lands on your website without seeing any reviews about your business, the testimonials page will show them that you are a trusted, well-established company who they want to buy or rent a property from.
It is important to seek reviews on directory listings. On these, your Estate Agency will most likely be shown alongside your competitors, so you need to give a reason why a potential client should choose you. Most directory listing websites will show your logo/ office front, company name, services and contact details. So how do clients choose who to contact? They will look at reviews, seeing a listing with ‘no reviews’ next to a competitor with a 5-star rating is a no brainer.
Some Directory listing sites to consider are:
Directories are not only a great place to gain more trustworthy reviews, but they also build a websites domain trust, enabling it to rank higher in Google to even get seen by more potential future clients!
Elsewhere on the internet
Other websites you can actively seek reviews on that are popular in the property industry include:
AllAgents – https://www.allagents.co.uk/
Trustpilot – https://uk.trustpilot.com/
There are many places to obtain reviews online. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an official review. Leaving a positive comment on an Instagram picture or writing a comment on Twitter and tagging your business can also have a positive impact too!
Ask every client how they heard about your Estate Agency- then ask them to leave a review on the website which they originally found your business. Not everyone will automatically leave a review after receiving a product or service so a gentle reminder to do so is usually all that is needed. If a client didn’t find your business online, you can still ask for a review. Not only is this a good way to retrieve reviews, but you could also keep track of where your business is attracting the most interest and where you may need to improve.
Top Tip– If a client doesn’t use the internet at all, ask them if they could leave you a short review on paper or over the phone which you can then add to your website.
Don’t just ask new clients! Contact existing clients and ask them to leave you a review. You can send them a link to the page where you want them to leave the review to make it as easy and hassle-free as possible.
Sometimes companies like to give small incentives to get more people to leave positive reviews, this can include being put into a draw to win a small prize. The power of online reviews are here to stay so if you don’t keep up, your Estate Agency could lose out!
Are you ready to take the next step online to reach your Estate Agencies goals? Here at Property Webmasters, we know the online property world well, and with over 12 years in the industry, you’re in the right hands. Whether you’re looking to gain more online exposure to generate those crucial client reviews or are looking to create a new, improved, effective website, contact the experts today on: +44 (0) 1429 450510 or by email: info@propertywebmasters.com. We look forward to helping you reach your potential!
[youtube video=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMsKsUgS0z4&feature=youtu.be” width=701 height=335]
By Ben Spowart
By Millie Taylor
By Ben Spowart