Feb
29
Build your estate agency´s credibility with customer reviews on your website
Filed Under Online Marketing
Word of mouth has always been an essential part of getting business and in today’s Internet era, where total strangers can communicate across time and distance, it is a more powerful marketing tool than ever! A couple of weeks ago, we discussed Social Markers and why you really should be aware of what people are saying about your real estate agency online - on forums, in their blogs and wherever they care to put fingers to keyboard.
But have you thought of allowing your own clients to post reviews of your services on your website itself?
More and more people researching online reviews
Just like an increasing number of people browse the Internet looking for property, the number of people who base their judgement of products and services on online reviews is ever on the rise, and this applies to real estate agencies too.
The thing is that dealing with an honest and trustworthy estate agent is at least as important for property-hunters as the properties themselves - and there is no better way to build your credibility than to let your previous clients do it for you. You can blow your own trumpet as much as you like, but in the eyes of prospective clients that can never compare with the influence of the collective voice of people who have bought property through your estate agency.
Beyond simply publishing customer testimonials
Publishing customer testimonials is indeed one of the most underutilised marketing tools in any business sector. However, because you have absolute control of what you put on your website, this tactic may be seen to lack credibility. What we are talking about here goes beyond that and involves allowing your customers to post their own comments directly on your website and even modify them as they deem fit (there is a variety of inexpensive software that will allow you to do this).
A negative review can actually be a good thing
Don’t let the thought of getting a negative review bother you. A large percentage of people who shop online are used to reading online reviews and will realise that occasionally someone does happen to have a bad experience. The odd negative comment in a sea of positive ones will only help to add credibility to the whole system - after all no estate agency is perfect, and  if every single word that is said about you is a shower of praise and glory, people will think that your whole customer comments is probably rigged.  Moreover, when pretty much all of the reviews about a service are positive, a negative review is perceived more as a reflection of the client, than of the estate agency itself. Besides,  depending on the review software you use, you could be able to respond to any negative feedback with a clarification.
One thing to bear in mind, however, is that it is probably a good idea to not make the system totally public, but to manage the logins yourself and hand them out personally to clients. This will make sure that your reviews are not sabotaged by an unscrupulous competitor.
So go for it! Give your clients a voice on your website and allow them to give you feedback and sing your praises. This one should be a no-brainer for any real estate agent who is devoted to complete customer satisfaction!
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