Client reviews. They’re a key part of Realtor marketing, and important when establishing a web presence. Client reviews function as social proof, a social phenomenon where people look to the actions of others to assert the correct behavior in any given situation. In other words, if a prospective client doesn’t know which Realtor to choose, reviews from previous clients play a major role in their decision.

Even if you know how important it is, asking for someone to sing your praises can be a little awkward. Follow these four easy steps and you'll learn how to ask for client reviews.

STEP 1- BUILD YOUR LIST

Compile a list of every client you’ve ever closed. If you have a CRM, you should already have this information on hand. Once you have your list, bucket each client into 3 categories based on their perception of your service- dissatisfied, satisfied, extremely satisfied. Depending on how many clients you have in each category, you might only ask for reviews from the clients you felt were extremely satisfied to make sure your reviews are all 5-stars.

STEP 2- WHERE TO ASK FOR REVIEWS

There are plenty of places you can ask for reviews- it can be overwhelming! A great way to decide where to funnel the majority of your reviews is to figure out what clients are already seeing when they search for you online. Google your name + Realtor and see what comes up.

In this example, Zillow and the Google My Business listing are the first rating-friendly sites to appear, so building up reviews on these two sites would help create authority. 15 five-star reviews on Zillow are better than three five-star reviews across five websites.

STEP 3- HOW TO ASK FOR REVIEWS

Knowing what to say can be half of the battle. Try the using the email script below. Just copy and paste into individual emails to your client lists.

Hi, CLIENT NAME.

I know you are so glad to be done with the buying/moving process!  Thanks again for letting me be a part of your journey!

I was wondering if you could please do us a favor whenever you have time. I’m trying to increase my web presence on sites that accentuate testimonials and reviews of professionals.

Would you mind writing a review of my real estate "expertise" on Zillow?  It's pretty quick and you can just write anything you'd like....it can be as long or as short as you'd like. Here's the Zillow link: INSERT LINK HERE.

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it.

STEP 4- GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR REVIEWS

Once the reviews start rolling in, make sure you are maximizing their visibility to get the most bang for your buck. Sharing the reviews on social media as part of your Realtor marketing plan allows you to give your client a public ‘thank you’ and allows you to tell a bit of their story.

You should also consider including a page on your website devoted to client testimonials. Simply ask clients who leave you reviews if you can copy and paste the review onto your testimonial page.

Tired of feeling like just a number? Every Village Realtor is a partner in our shared mission to build a better real estate experience.

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