WHEN and HOW to Ask for Online Reviews: Google, Yelp, and more. (For Realtors)
When should Realtors ASK clients for an online review🤨: Google, Yelp, et al.
From what I’ve observed, loads of agents wait to ask until they’re at the closing table ✍️. I don’t wanna sound hypercritical or anything, but I’d argue that’s perhaps the least-optimal time to request a review because clients tend to be fairly preoccupied with the proceedings of the closing.
The best time to ask for a review, IMO, is whenever something good happens. For example:
☑️ a ratified purchase agreement
☑️ contingency removal(s)
☑️ the clear-to-close notice
☑️ post-occupancy, after the dust has settled
Build in multiple requests as part of your transaction-to-close process! As the saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed – try, try again!”
And it isn’t just WHEN you ask – it’s HOW you ask.
Most agents simply send out a one-off email 📧 with a link to leave a review 💬. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough! You may get some reviews but not as many as possible (IMO). Even if it’s the best-written, warmest email ever — a lone email isn’t gonna cut it. Try, for example, accompanying that email with a text message. Something like…
“{NAME}, it’s Jason Pantana. I just sent you an email requesting a review on {PLATFORM]. It’s been truly wonderful working with you and I’d be grateful to hear your feedback about the experience. Will you take a look at that email when you get a free moment, please? Thanks in advance!”
Sending a coinciding text, DM, video message, or even a handwritten note or card with your email casts a spell of multichannel magic ✨—thereby upping the odds of request performance.
Getting online reviews is well worth the effort (IMO). REVIEWS = REPUTATION.