8 templates to get more real estate reviews at every step of the journey

In today’s always-on consumer environment, referrals are as good as gold.

According to data from Zillow, 42% of homebuyers said they considered reviews highly important in 2018. Today, that number has grown a whopping 21 points to 63%.

If you’re ready for a steady stream of testimonials, read on. We’ll share why client reviews are so critical in today’s market, where to focus your efforts, and the best opportunities for asking for reviews, including tips, scripts and templates that actually work.

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Why reviews are crucial to your real estate business

Here are just some of the ways positive real estate reviews can help boost your business.

More trust with prospects

Data from Zillow found that trustworthiness (83%) and responsiveness (81%) were the two most important characteristics when getting an initial impression of an agent or broker. By giving potential customers the ability to see in a glance how reliable you are, customer reviews have the power to address their fears and objections before you even shake hands.

Increased engagement on third-party sites

If you’re actively generating leads via third-party sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, more reviews usually means more conversations with potential homebuyers. In fact, research from Zillow indicates that having at least 5 recent reviews published in your profile gives customers more confidence in working with you.

A greater sense of loyalty and community

Asking for a review can feel intimidating, but the truth is, most of your customers would probably be glad to recommend you to others. According to the data, 43% of homebuyers who chose to stay with their agent said they would ask friends, family, neighbors or colleagues for a referral if they ever found themselves in the market for a new agent.  

Leverage your reputation

Last year, 74% of buyers that used an agent said that a positive reputation in the community was one of the top five agent characteristics that influenced their decision. With a robust online presence backed by strong proof through your customer reviews, you can use the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build to generate more leads for the business. 

Where should you focus your reviews?

Every real estate business—and every lead gen strategy—is different, and you should find a strategy that works for you. 

Depending on your own approach, you might choose to send all reviewers to the same place to increase volume on your most important review platform. Or you could go for a mix of reviews across listing sites and directories.

Here are the top three platforms that we think you should consider for real estate agent reviews.

1. Google

For most agents and teams, it’s all about the Google Reviews. Having a roster of great reviews with an average star rating of 4 or higher can make the difference between a prospect who picks up the phone and one who keeps scrolling.

Google review guidelines

Google reviews are governed by Google’s Maps User Generated Content policy and you’ll need a Google My Business profile before you can start collecting them. Some of the prohibited content and behavior that can be flagged by Google includes:

• Impersonation
• Harassment 
• Offensive content 
• Illegal content 
• Off-topic content
• Advertising and solicitation 

2. Zillow

Zillow is an important place for five-star customer reviews because it gets that social proof in front of prospects as they’re actively searching for their dream home.

Zillow review guidelines

Reviews on Zillow must comply with Zillow’s review policy, which among other things, prohibits the following types of reviews: 

• Reviews that contain false or misleading content. 
• Reviews that contain foul or inappropriate language.
• Reviews that contain information that is not relevant within the context of the Zillow website.
• Reviews from family members or close associates.

3. Facebook

Social media platforms like Facebook are the embodiment of, well, social proof. Facebook reviews give potential new clients a direct line to see if their friends “like” or have good things to say about you and your team. Knowing right away that someone they know is a fan can bring an immediate rapport. As a bonus, they may also help your Facebook ads perform better.

Facebook review guidelines 

Reviews on Facebook are guided by Meta’s community feedback policies which require that feedback complies with Meta’s data policy, community standards, branded content guidelines and terms of service.

Reviews posted on Facebook must comply with the following guidelines:

• Community feedback must not contain misrepresented, deceitful or fraudulent information.
• Reviewers must not be incentivized by businesses to leave reviews. Meta defines incentivization as “a business partner or seller providing something of value, such as a monetary payment, free gift, or refund, in exchange for Community Feedback ratings, reviews, or answers.”
• Reviews must be based on the reviewer’s actual experience and must be related to the intended use of the product or service.

Why stop there?

While Google, Zillow and Facebook are among the best places to focus your reviews online, review collection platforms like RealSatisfied and RateMyAgent make it easy to add your reviews and ratings to other top listing sites, including:

• Realtor.com
• Yelp
• Trulia
• Movoto
• Homes.com
• And more

In addition to your agent directories and portal sites, you can also promote your reviews in the following places:

• Real estate website
• Agent bio
• Lead nurture sequences
• Monthly newsletters
• Real estate advertising
• Top landing pages
• And more!

Which platform should you start with?

If you’re still not sure where to focus your reviews, the following tips can help point you in the right direction.

• Start with where you’re getting the most lead and referral traffic: Web analytics tools such as Google Analytics can help you determine your top lead sources. 

• Keep track of where your client found you. If they mentioned using Zillow or Yelp, they’re likely already active on those platforms.

• Offer your clients 3 different platforms when requesting a review. They can select the site that’s most convenient for them and you get a positive review no matter which one they choose. 

“If I can control the transaction, then I'm able to control my client experience. If I can control my client experience, I can get five-star reviews for the services we deliver.” — Daniel Dixon, CEO, The Dixon Group

How and when to ask customers for real estate reviews

There are multiple moments throughout the buyer and seller journey when asking for a review just makes sense.

Let’s get into the best times to ask, plus sample scripts to help you get a positive answer.

At the end of the buyers consult or listing appointment

Half the battle with reviews is learning to ask for them early. Believe it or not, many agents agree that your initial buyer consult or seller listing appointment is a great time to establish your commitment to five-star service and start preparing your clients for a more direct ask later on down the road.

Let them know you’ll be checking in on their progress throughout their journey with you. 

💡 Example script: 

We want your experience to be a 5-star experience so that you are willing to share it in an online review. So many people go online and look for reviews before they even reach out to us. We want them to see how much we care!

With that in mind, we will be checking in throughout the process to make sure that we are providing that high level of service, and we also want you to let us know if there’s anything that we can do better.

Listing day for sellers

Listing day is an important milestone for sellers. It might be an exciting moment, a reflective or nostalgic time, or even a bit of both. As their trusted partner in real estate, it’s also a great opportunity to check in on their seller journey so far. 

One option is to remind them for the first time about your standards: that you want to do so well, they’d be willing to recommend and review you. 

💡 Example script: 

Once again, we are so excited about your house hitting the market! As we said when we first met, our goals are to sell your house for as much as possible and as quickly as possible. We also want to provide a 5-star experience to earn your future referrals and online reviews. Thus far, do you think we are doing everything to achieve those goals?

Under contract (transaction coordinator or listing manager)

By the time a client is under contract, they know how great your service is. This is the perfect chance to check in and make sure you’ve been meeting your standards. If they’re happy with the experience so far, go ahead and ask them if they’d be willing to leave you a review, then follow up with the next steps for how to leave one. 

You can use this opportunity to mention once again that you want to be sure you’re meeting their needs.

💡 Example script:

At this point in the process, I always want to ask to make sure that we are achieving our goals of helping you make the best decisions possible and providing a 5-star experience that will earn your future referrals and reviews. Are we achieving those goals? [Their answer] Thanks! That’s great to hear. Would you mind taking a few minutes to go ahead and write us a quick review? I’ll send you a link to a few review sites to make it super easy for you.

Closing

Closing may technically be the end of your client’s journey, but it’s not the end of your relationship with them. This is a great time to finish strong and remind them how much you value taking good care of your clients. Remind them how glad you are to have worked with them and that you’ve been asking them for reviews all along the way.

If they only have good things to say, ask if they’d leave a review that lets future clients know that you’re a professional they can trust.

💡 Example script:

It’s been so great working with you! I’m really happy how things worked out. I hope you are too! If you remember, when we first met, I told you that we wanted to help you make a wise decision and to earn your future referrals and reviews. Have we done that? 

If so, we’ll be reaching out to get feedback and let you know how you can share your excellent experience with others!

How to reply to positive and negative reviews

If you’re lucky, most of your reviews will be positive. But inevitably, a few less-than-stellar reviews will come through.

Here are some sample responses to help you craft a professional reply to each type of review.

Responding to a positive review

When a positive review comes in, it can be easy to feel like you’ve accomplished your mission. But don’t stop there. Show your gratitude by taking the time to thank the client for their kind words.

💡 Sample response:

Thank you for the glowing review, [NAME]! I'm thrilled you're happy with your new home. Your kind words motivate us to continue providing top-notch service. If you need assistance in the future or know someone who does, feel free to reach out.

Handling a negative review

No one likes getting a negative review, but the truth is, they happen. The key thing is to keep your cool and handle the situation as professionally and empathetically as possible.

Here are a few sample responses to help you handle a negative review.

💡Sample template for someone you’ve worked with:

Hi [Name]! I'm sorry to hear about your experience and would like to address your concerns. Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and we strive to provide exceptional service. Please contact me at [phone number/email] so we can address your concerns directly.

💡Sample template for someone you never worked with:

Hi [Name]! Thank you for sharing your feedback, although I don't believe we've had the opportunity to work together. Our commitment to exceptional service extends to all potential clients, and we're sorry to hear about your dissatisfaction. We'd welcome the chance to address your concerns and provide further assistance. Please feel free to reach out to discuss your experience in more detail.  

💡Sample template for a negative review with no comment:

Hi [Name]! Thank you for your feedback. I noticed there was no comment included in your review, but I value all customer experiences. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss your concerns or if there is anything I can assist with.

How to handle negative reviews

Handling negative reviews can be a challenging process, but there are some steps you can take.

Here are some of the key actions to take: 

• Understand the problem: Identify the motivation behind the negative review as a crucial first step. Most importantly, you need to separate the reviewer’s opinions from the “facts” included in the review.

• Reach out to the reviewer directly: Engage in a private conversation with the reviewer to address their concerns one-on-one.

• Publicly respond to the review: Always respond to negative reviews publicly with a thoughtful and measured approach. Acknowledge the feedback received and express a commitment to resolving the issue.

• Report it to the platform if it violates their policies: While it can be challenging to get a negative review removed, it's worth reporting reviews that violate the company’s review guidelines (for example, reviews that are false or defamatory). 

• Leverage positive reviews: If direct outreach and platform reporting measures don't work, consider crowdsourcing positive reviews from satisfied customers to counterbalance negative feedback.

Customer reviews: it never hurts to ask

One of the unsung benefits of a solid review strategy is that writing a review reminds clients why they love working with you in the first place.

Great service? Helpful resources? Quick response times? You’ve got it all. But even picture-perfect agents won’t get a review they don’t ask for. Now go forth and get those reviews! 

Ready. Set. Review. Provide a five-star experience from beginning to end with Follow Up Boss. Sign up now for your free 14-day trial, or subscribe to the Real Estate Team OS podcast for exclusive insights from today’s top teams.