You can “toot your own horn” until you’re blue in the face. But that may not be the most compelling way to get more clients.
Remember – You’re not the only one who can promote your business. And in the eyes of some of your prospects, you may not even be the most qualified one to do it!
This is where real estate testimonials come in. They’re powerful and effective marketing tools you can use to build trust. And trust is important because when potential buyers and sellers in your area trust you, they’ll be more likely to become leads.
This article shows you both how to get and use real estate agent testimonials so you can take your business to the next level. But first…
Why You Need Testimonials
In case you ever need a reminder as you’re putting in the work to get testimonials, here are the most important reasons why they’re crucial for your business:
- Real estate testimonials demonstrate to potential clients that others have had positive experiences working with you. This validation (also known as “social proof”) helps instill confidence in your abilities and fosters trust.
- Compelling testimonials differentiate you from your competitors by highlighting your unique strengths, exceptional service, and successful outcomes. They offer objective evidence of your expertise, enhancing your perceived credibility.
- Testimonials create an emotional connection and create a sense of relatability. When potential clients read or hear about the positive experiences past clients have had, they can envision themselves receiving the same kind of service and results.
How To Leverage the Power of Real Estate Testimonials for Lead Generation
Integrate Testimonials Into Your Direct Mail Marketing
Real estate direct mail marketing is still an effective way to generate leads. Adding testimonials to them can absolutely boost their power of persuasion.
Brochures, flyers, “just sold postcards” – any direct mail piece you’re working with – will benefit from a strategically placed snippet of positive feedback about you and the way you do business.
Choose testimonials that highlight specific benefits or outcomes your clients have enjoyed through your services. By showcasing real success stories, you instill confidence in potential clients and make them more likely to choose you to be their real estate agent. And that can be incredibly powerful, especially at crucial moments when they’re deciding to contact you or not.
(Important Note: Be sure to ask for permission before you use real estate testimonials for marketing purposes. Not everyone appreciates their name and information being used in this way, and you could end up getting in trouble if you don’t ask.)
Showcase Testimonials on Your Website
Place client feedback, reviews, and stories strategically on relevant pages of your website, such as the homepage, services page, and property listings. Highlighting positive quotes, ratings, and video testimonials not only capture attention but they’re also highly compelling.
Include Testimonials In Your Email Campaigns
For example, you could dedicate a section of your next real estate newsletter to spotlighting a client story or showcasing multiple quotes in a “testimonial roundup.”
But it could be much simpler than that. It could be as easy as tacking on a quick quote to the end of any marketing email you’re sending. (Just make sure it’s relevant to the topic of the email.)
Share Them on Social Media
The best social media platforms are perfectly designed for networking. But using them the right way can be tricky. Not all of your posts should be self-promotional. But highlighting client testimonials every now and then (say, 20% of your posts) can be a great way to advertise without coming across as overly salesy. Increase engagement by asking related follow-up questions or asking your past-client followers to share their experiences too.
If you’re looking for inspiration, here’s a list of the best real estate social accounts to follow.
Include Them in Your Pre-Listing Packets and Listing Presentations
A pre-listing packet is an informational package that an agent provides to potential clients before meeting for a listing presentation. Both the pre-listing packet and the listing presentation are like a job interview. They’re prime opportunities to show leads why they should hire you, which is why they both should absolutely include testimonials. (Learn more about how to turn more leads into clients by creating an effective listing presentation.)
Use Real Estate Testimonials To Elevate Your Online Presence
Featuring testimonials on your website can help you in two ways. First, they can improve your online presence if they include important keywords, such as “real estate agent in [your area],” for example. (By “online presence,” we mean it’s easy for potential clients to find you online, especially through search engines such as Google and Bing.)
And second, real estate agent testimonials make it so that when potential clients arrive on their site, they’re greeted by plenty of “social proof.” In addition to spotlighting client quotes and stories on your homepage, it’s a good idea to have an entire page on your site that’s dedicated to client reviews.
7 Best Ways To Get Real Estate Testimonials
Some clients will “naturally” provide testimonials without an invitation. But chances are, you won’t get a sufficient amount of usable reviews unless you put a system in place by which you can implement strategies for acquiring them.
To help you with the brainstorming process, here are the seven best ways to get high-quality real estate testimonials.
1. Provide Outstanding Service
It might seem obvious, but it’s worth pointing out – You won’t get any testimonials that are positive and enthusiastic enough to help you generate real estate leads if you don’t provide a level of service that warrants that kind of feedback.
So start by striving to exceed your clients’ expectations at every step of the process. Communicate effectively, deliver outstanding results, and go above and beyond to ensure satisfaction.
Meanwhile, by consistently surpassing client expectations, you’re increasing the likelihood of receiving glowing testimonials “naturally.” It’ll leave a lasting impression on your clients, making them more inclined to share their positive experiences with you (and everyone else they know!).
2. Actually Ask for Testimonials
Ideally, you should have several testimonial options to choose from for each project (marketing campaign, website copy, content piece, etc.). Again, relying on getting testimonials only as they’re volunteered likely won’t be enough. That means you’ll actually have to learn how to ask for a testimonial from real estate clients.
Regardless of which of the following methods you implement, timing is key. To maximize your chances of receiving testimonials, it’s essential to “strike while the iron is hot.” In other words, ask when their positive emotions and appreciation are fresh, making them more likely to provide a testimonial promptly.
A sincere and timely request increases the likelihood of a positive response and a compelling testimonial that resonates with potential clients. Reach out to clients when their satisfaction is at its peak, which is typically after a successful transaction or when they’ve achieved their desired outcomes at some point in the process.
If you’re wondering how to ask for a testimonial from real estate clients, here’s a template you can use to do it via email:
Hi [client’s name],
Thanks for choosing me as your real estate agent! It was an absolute pleasure working with you throughout the entire [buying or selling] process.
Your feedback is incredibly valuable to me, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to provide a review.
One of my main goals is to ensure that my clients are satisfied with my services. Your review can help me know what’s working well and how I can improve. What you share can also help future clients get a better understanding of the level of service that I provide.
If you could respond to this email with a brief paragraph or two about your experience working with me, that would be fantastic! Or if you’d prefer, I can also send you a link to the reviews page on my website where you can enter your comments.
Thank you again for choosing me as your real estate agent. It was truly a pleasure working with you, and I look forward to working together again in the future.
Sincerely,
[your name and contact information]
3. Email a Survey Invitation
Send personalized email surveys to clients after completing a successful transaction or achieving significant milestones. Tools like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Typeform can help you quickly and easily create professional-looking surveys with specific questions tailored to gathering testimonials (often for free!).
4. Use Online Review Platforms
There are many tools created for this specific purpose that can serve the dual purpose of providing you with real estate testimonials to use for marketing purposes and improving your online presence. For example…
(If you go this route, be sure to provide links and very clear instructions. Make sure your clients know exactly what you’re asking them to do and how to do it.)
5. Use Video Testimonial Platforms
Video is among the most effective mediums for marketing. Consider using video testimonial platforms such as Boast.io, VocalReferences, or Vidmonials to capture authentic, compelling video testimonials from clients. These platforms provide a user-friendly interface for clients to record and submit their testimonials, which are perfect for showcasing on your website or social media posts.
6. Testimonial Request Forms
You could also set up a review form on your real estate website, allowing clients to submit their testimonials directly. Tools like WPForms, JotForm, or Wufoo, for example, enable you to create customized forms with fields for gathering testimonials.
7. Conduct Interviews
As time-consuming as this idea may be, it has the potential to yield a big payoff. Client interviews are a great way to gather large amounts of candid, conversational feedback. Whether you do them verbally in person or not, you can draw from interviews to create full case studies, brief written snippets, or promotional videos.