Five Tips for Great Ratings and Reviews

By Tiffany Curry

You’ve seen them everywhere and if you’re like most people, you hide from them. You shut off your computer; you put down your phone. What am I talking about? Online customer reviews.

More than ever, consumers are searching online for competent service providers and the largest investment of their lives—a home—is no exception. With the rise in popularity of online searches comes the sometimes-dreaded online reviews.

So, where do you stand and how do you rank among consumers? I know, I know, you’re afraid to read about what people may say. Well, I’ve got three words: Get over it! Take control of your online presence and drive your business to multiple generations through the power of online reviews. That’s right, more and more consumers, including Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are online trying to find great service providers for their real estate needs and they’re using online reviews to rate the quality of service received. If you have a great product or service—and of course you do—why not share that information with the world? As the globalization of real estate continues and consumers worldwide are searching for homes in your local market via apps and websites, more and more of these international buyers are searching and reviewing online.

In the age of agents growing their online presence and at a time when online lead generation rules, get your piece of the pie! And guess what? It’s FREE!

By adhering to a few simple but key ideas, I’ve been able to collect more than 125 online ratings and reviews across multiple sites. (As examples, you can see some of those reviews here and here.)

If you’re looking to get great ratings and reviews, too, I want to share my top five tips:

1.     Set expectations up front. When you set expectations before the transaction even begins, you’re more likely to meet—and succeed—them.

2.     Ask your clients to share why they loved your service. This will help you better serve your next clients and improve on your customer satisfaction.

3.     Don’t get caught up in the way someone else is promoting themselves online. Always be yourself; authenticity will resonate with your clients.

4.     Be transparent with your client. People like to do business with people they’re comfortable with and who they can trust.

5.     Turn social media posts and handwritten notes into online testimonials. If a client posts on your Facebook business page about the excellent service they received, be sure to share this with your email list or re-post on your social sites. If you get a handwritten letter or email from a client raving about your service, ask your client if it’s OK to share their sentiments then post their testimonial on social media or send it out to your client base.

Remember, it’s all about your client’s experience. As long as you keep top-quality service in mind, the positive reviews will keep rolling in. Happy Selling!

TIFFANY CURRY is an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties in Houston. She is Houston’s youngest ever Realtor of the Year! She is a Houston Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 and currently serves as a National REThink Council member. A technology lover, she still insists on “real estate with a personal touch.” Tiffany is the #1 agent in closed sales at the Anderson Properties’ Upper Kirby office. She is the owner of BuySellLoveHouston.com and HouseHuntersHoustonTX.com, the ultimate home buyer site, launching December 2016.

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