This post originally appeared on tBL Marketplace Partner’s, RealNex blog RealNex Media Center Blog and is republished with permission. Find out how to syndicate your content with theBrokerList.
The consumer experience is one of the most crucial elements of contemporary business. In today’s CRE market, a five-star customer experience is essential for success. Online reviews and client testimonials are key ways that commercial real estate groups are vetted by potential clients. Before doing business with you, people want to know what the transaction process was like for past clients.
For today’s clients, authentic online reviews impact a brand’s market appeal. In 2019, 76% of consumers said that they trusted online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. 62% of consumers in 2020 said that they would not support brands that engage in review censorship. The demand for transparent reviews has made digital reputations showing a five-star experience imperative for CRE professionals.
Here are some ways that you can establish credibility through online reviews to help make your services shine.
Three Ways to Encourage Client Reviews
Deciding to leverage reviews as a lead generation strategy means motivating your clients to leave reviews.
#1. Send Follow Up Emails with a CTA to Review
After your transactions close, agents can send a wrap-up email thanking the client that includes a review request. Making this a regular closing protocol can help prompt your clients to take action quickly and leave a detailed testimonial while you’re top of mind.
#2. Contact Past Clients
Going into your CRM and pulling the contact information for your closed clients can help you secure testimonials on your past deals. Sending a quick and friendly email checking in with them and including a referral call-to-action provides the added bonus of potentially getting repeat business.
#3. Prompt Review Submissions Throughout the Deal
Your reviews don’t only need to come from clients that have stopped doing business with you. Commercial real estate agents may be working with a long-term client who would be a perfect candidate to review your services. Consider requesting review submissions from active clients by including easy forms on email outreaches and check-ins.
How to Display Reviews
Once you have your reviews, you’ll want to make sure that you’re displaying them in places that will make the most impact. Here are three high-traffic areas of your online presence where you can post your reviews left by clients.
#1. Create a Separate Landing Page on Your Website
In addition to posting reviews across your site, create a separate landing page for them to make them more accessible. This can grow into an archive of reviews as you build momentum over time.
#2. Post Them on Social Media
When you get a great review, post it to your social media as a quote. In the same post, thank the client for the review and for choosing you to represent them. Close with a CTA pushing to view more testimonials on your site.
#3. Include Reviews in Email Drip Campaigns
Try incorporating reviews into your email drip campaigns. Whether it’s as a transition or a closing, posting a relevant review in italics and quotes can diversify your emails.
For more commercial real estate tips, check out the RealNex Blog.
