4 Best Methods for Getting Real Estate Testimonials

Your real estate website, social media posts, and local advertising are a few of the marketing pieces that generate leads for your real estate business. But testimonials are the powerful social proof that your prospects crave.

Are you leveraging the power of testimonials from your happy clients? Comments from home buyers and sellers who have worked with you are the proof that prospective clients need to feel confident that you're the agent for them.

Here are some of the best ways to get strong real estate testimonials for your business:

1. "Listen" on social media

Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are terrific sources for collecting real estate marketing ideas, connecting with prospects and sharing your personal brand. When you receive a positive comment from a happy client, be sure to send them your thanks and ask if they would agree to you using their comment as a testimonial. Even if it wasn't their intention to write a testimonial, you may find that most people will agree to you repurposing their comment in your marketing materials.

2. Host appreciation events for past clients

Client appreciation events are a wonderful way to keep in touch with your past clients and ensure they remember who you are. An event could be anything from a family movie night, ice skating afternoon, BBQ, or wine and cheese party. An event is a nice way to have face-to-face interactions with your past clients (which can even lead to referrals!). While you're mingling with your past clients, requesting a testimonial can come up quite naturally in conversation. Let your past clients know that testimonials are helpful for your business and ask them if they'd be willing to contribute.

3. Make it a contest

When offered an opportunity to win, your past clients will be even more likely to provide you with a testimonial! Use your real estate CRM to send a mass email to all past clients asking them to provide you with a testimonial about their experience with you as their real estate agent. Let them know that those who contribute will be entered in a draw for a gift card at a local restaurant (or another prize of your choosing). Be sure to let contestants know that you'll be using their testimonial in your real estate marketing materials.

4. Survey clients on their experience after closing

After the paperwork is signed and your clients are happily residing in their new home, try asking if they're willing to fill in a short survey on their experience with you as their agent. Provide your client with a simple questionnaire with questions, and include a portion where they can enter their own comments. A survey like this offers you insight into your business's strengths and weaknesses, plus positive comments can be spun into testimonials with permission from your clients.

Leverage your Real Estate Testimonials

Once you've collected testimonials from your happy clients, it's time to start sharing them with your prospects! Your website is a great place to share testimonials. You can also share your social proof by posting testimonials on Facebook, tweeting it to your followers, including it in your mass emails or email signatures, and adding them to Just Listed/Just Sold e-Flyers. Testimonials are powerful proof of your success as a real estate professional, so share them everywhere you can!

The takeaway

Testimonials act as social proof reassuring prospects that you're a reputable real estate professional. Think outside the box when it comes to gathering comments from happy clients and spread the word by adding testimonials to your marketing materials and social media channels.

To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.