Today’s buyers and sellers understand it’s the wildest, weirdest, fastest market ever. So, is it any surprise that buyers and sellers are doing a LOT of research as they select the right agent to represent them?
For agents wondering how to stand out and get hired, the answer is online reviews. The third-party validation of a positive review will resonate more than any marketing message you could write, any prospecting email you could send, or any cold call you could make.
How buyers’ agents can use reviews
It’s a stressful time and buyers’ agents are on-call at all hours; booking same-day tours of new listings; fielding calls from listing agents who know they’re in the power position; talking with buyers who can’t emotionally handle losing another home to another buyer.
But it’s one thing to hear an agent talk about how they help clients navigate today’s market; it’s another to read about the experience from a client’s point of view. That’s why it’s critical that agents have a strong portfolio of online reviews that showcase the real work they’re doing (and the value they bring).
Recent buyer reviews on RateMyAgent, RealSatisfied and Google show that:
Agents host first-time buyer classes to empower the next generation of homeowners.
Agents help buyers find their dream home, in their budget, even in the middle of a global health crisis.
Agents can educate newcomers about the local neighborhoods that meet their criteria.
Agents break down contracts so buyers understand complex listing agreements.
Agents aren’t afraid to offer their clients realistic advice, even when it’s hard to hear.
Agents help buyers with super-specific needs, even when inventory is tight.
Agents make sure their brand-new buyer gets an offer sent in (and accepted) on day one.
Agents help buyers avoid bidding wars.
Agents are recommended again and again within a network of family and friends who have grown to trust them.
What reviews can do for listing agents
Meanwhile, some of today’s sellers think that the market is doing all the work, and the agent is getting paid for nailing the sign into the ground. Of course, we know that while today’s uneven supply-and-demand has created unprecedented momentum, it’s REALTORS® who are using that momentum to get the best offers for their seller clients.
When they have reviews to back up the expertise and tenacity they bring to each transaction, agents can sit back and let their experience speak for itself.
Recent seller reviews on RateMyAgent, RealSatisfied and Google show that:
Agents help sellers navigate complex, emotional circumstances.
Agents offer up trusted resources, including contractors, flooring experts and stagers, for pre-list homes that need extra help.
Agents can provide strategic pricing and marketing to their sellers.
Agents step in to sell a house successfully, even when others have tried and failed.
Agents are the ones dealing with the day-to-day details for their out-of-town sellers.
Agents get sellers a great offer, quickly, so they can meet the terms of their purchase agreement.
Agents help their clients list for more than they’d anticipated… and still get above-asking price offers.
In short? Agents are able to make a stressful process, seamless.
Can potential clients find you online?
Of course, to benefit from the power of online reviews, potential clients need to see them. Stats show* that local businesses ranking in the top three of Google SERPs have an average of 47 reviews; consumers also tend to trust a company’s “star ranking” once they have 40+ reviews.
Be sure to work with an online reviews solution that can help you flow all your past, current and future reviews straight to Google, where they’ll do the most work on your behalf.
*Bright Local, Google Reviews Study: How Many Reviews Do Local Businesses Need?
About Laurie Davis
Laurie Davis
Laurie Davis is the CEO and managing broker of Better Homes & Gardens Luxury Lifestyle Property Partners, long-time Inman brand ambassador, as well as the vice president of industry relations for RateMyAgent, a digital marketing platform that empowers great agents to harness the power of verified reviews. Since launching in the U.S. in late 2019,
RateMyAgent has helped more than 120,000+ agents solidify their online reputations via verified reviews.
If you know it’s time to build up your digital footprint, activate your free RateMyAgent profile today. We have integrated tools to help you collect new reviews, verify past reviews, and promote your stellar reputation to prospects, old clients and beyond.