Using Social Proof for Real Estate Agents to Get New Clients | The Ultimate Guide
Establish Trust with the Power of Real Estate Testimonials & Increase Sales
With industrial breakthroughs and rapidly changing technology, consumer behavior has changed. As Millennials dominate the consumer population, the buyers’ journey differs. Once done primarily by word of mouth, social proof in real estate and other fields takes a new form online.
In the past, people would ask their friends and acquaintances for their opinions on products or services. Now, the internet has made it possible to connect to people on the other side and get a wide range of opinions on products and services.
In the world of real estate, like others, consumers are reading reviews and ratings and then comparing their options to land on who they think is best. Given social proof’s broader reach and increasing importance, it should be considered consistently in your real estate marketing efforts.
In this article, we will cover the importance of social proof in real estate and how you can best utilize it.
What Does Social Proof Mean?
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon in which people are affected by the actions of others to produce the correct behavior for a given situation. So, consumers tend to look at others and then copy successful patterns of behavior when considering the products and services they choose from. This force is so strong that one negative review can stop a person from purchasing a product.
Consider someone walking down a street full of restaurants. Most are half empty, but there is one full to the brim. Despite a potential wait, that is the restaurant they want to go to. Why?
There must be something special about the place that drives more customers. This is the force of social proof.
The same thing happens in real estate. If everybody is recommending a realtor, there must be a reason. It drives the potential prospects towards that realtor as they believe certain realtors’ services must be exceptional to attract so many customers.
Long and short, people trust others, especially the ones they can relate to.
Why is Social Proof Effective in Real Estate
Social proof is one of the most critical factors Millennials consider when buying products or paying for services. They trust what others say about services and products more than what the owner of the business claims. That’s why the review section of the websites exists.
Realtors need to target Millennials differently as they tend to be savvy and unimpressed by traditional marketing. Their buying habits are quite different from those of previous generations. According to Drew Allen, co-owner and creative director of Peppershock Media:
“Millennials can spot an ad from a mile away and will do everything they can to avoid it.”
Realtors must back up their traditional marketing efforts with customer reviews and testimonials to fit better into the new customer journey and buying habits.
Social proof for real estate works because it connects HAPPY customers to your prospects. Due to the bombardment of marketing messages customers are exposed to, other marketing methods have been rendered less effective. User reviews and customer testimonials will help the confused prospect reach a decision.
How To Get Social Proof as a Realtor
There are many ways to get social proof online. Here are some of the proven methods to get real estate testimonials. But don’t confine yourself to these. Use your creativity and think of more ways to reach out to your happy clients and spread the word:
1. Testimonials
In the real estate world, between 60-80% of your leads can source from referrals, making your Sphere of Influence the pumping heart of your business. That is why you need to start amassing favorable reviews from your clients.
In the world of real estate, social proof equals a concept agents refer to as “TESTIMONIALS” and clients and customers call “REVIEWS.” A happy client will gladly speak up for you on their social media channels, your social media channels, your website, and real estate websites. That’s far more effective than self-promotion. Now, you can and should use testimonials in written form, but there are more creative and effective ways to share testimonials, which we will share and you will want to consider.
| Note: keep in mind that if you use a client’s testimonial or quote on your website, the client may be contacted in the future as a reference. Therefore, get their approval before putting clients’ testimonials on your website. Explain the fact that they might be contacted. They might tell you that they would rather stay anonymous and avoid future references for your business, and that’s okay. However, using testimonials without a name is fairly ineffective. |
Roomvu offers realtors a branded website with all the features an agent may need. The Roomvu profile is here to help real estate agents establish trust and polish their personal branding using client testimonials. Sign up for an account and add your testimonials in simple steps.
2. Social Media
People talk about things on social media. The service you provide is no exception. People will comment on how they liked doing business with you. If someone leaves a positive comment on your social media channels, reply to their comment and ask them for permission to use their comment as a testimonial.
You can ask your followers on social media to provide you with some feedback on how happy they are working with you. This is very beneficial when it comes to happy clients. However, social media can be a double-edged sword. Keep this in mind when requesting public feedback. If you want to know more about social media marketing, read our article About social media marketing for real estate
3. Customer Surveys
Determining who to contact is not always straightforward, and you do not wish to be a nuisance. It is also very important to act quickly.
A great way to get social proof for real estate is to establish a system to manage your clients. CRMs (customer relationship management systems) are beneficial tools that can help you in this matter. They will allow you to reach your customers with a simple message: “Hi, if you are happy with our services, would you like to leave a review on our website?”
An NPS survey or other feedback collection method is also another great way to collect customer feedback. You can contact recent buyers and sellers, ask if they would recommend you to a friend or family member, and then decipher their qualitative responses into actionable insights for your business.
4. Celebrity / Business Social Proof
In this scenario, you ask a prominent figure to speak up for your brand. Of course, you don’t have to ask a celebrity to do so (it would be great if you could afford it in theory). See if a local paper and/ or business would give you praise.
When a reputable business or paper writes about you, your credibility soars. If you are lucky enough to secure such praise, promote the testimonials on all your social media channels and websites with that business’s logo.
LinkedIn Recommendations
LinkedIn says, “A recommendation is a statement a LinkedIn member writes to recognize or commend a connection, such as a colleague, business partner, or student. People who view your profile will often read the recommendations you’ve received from your connections to see what others say about your work.”
From Ara Margos’s LinkedIn page
This is an effective form of social proof, as many people look for an agent on LinkedIn. Here is how you can ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn:
- Navigate to the profile of the 1st-degree connection you’d like to request a recommendation from.
- Click the More icon (3 dots) in the top section of the profile.
- Select Request a recommendation.
- Fill out the Relationship and Position at the time fields of the recommendations pop-up window, and click Next.
- You can include a personalized message with your request by changing the text in the message field.
- Click Send.
6. Show Likes and Shares
Many platforms allow users to show and share the number of views, shares, and likes. Keeping a tally for each listing or blog post can show potential clients that what you write and share is popular and gets attention. That further proves your expertise and introduces you as a realtor who knows their way around the business.
7. Just Ask
There is no guarantee that everyone you have done business with will agree to leave a testimonial or a review. But it won’t hurt to ask. In the worst-case scenario, they will say no, and then you can go on to the next client. But not asking will deprive you of a probable positive testimonial that can significantly influence the rest of your potential prospects.
| NOTE: Some websites like yelp frown upon soliciting reviews on their site. If you are asking your clients for reviews on other websites, make sure you are not violating their policies. |
How do you use social proof for real estate?
1. Use Photos
Adding photos to the testimonials increases the credibility of the testimonials. When you add a face to the words, you give them a personality and character the reader can relate to more easily. It is advisable to put the photo above the text.
2. Consider Video Testimonial
What’s better than a testimonial? A video testimonial! It is easier to watch a testimonial than read one and is often more engaging. They also convey the client’s feelings better and create the urge for the same level of happiness in prospects.
3. Case Studies
You can turn the testimonials into case studies and describe how you helped that client. Please start with the client’s needs and the problems they were facing. Then, describe your steps to help the client and provide services that fit their needs. This will give your audience an idea of how you will handle their needs if they decide to do business with you.
4. Your Website
The homepage of your website is likely the most visited one. Therefore, you should put customer testimonials on the home page; this exposes them to the most views by visitors and potential clients.
As visitors view your website, they get to know you and develop ideas about whether you fit their needs. Testimonials will provide them with the social proof they need to trust you.
5. Email Signature
Including one in your email signatures is a great way to promote your positive quotes. You will send promotional and follow-up emails to your prospects and leads, including the testimonials in your signature, which will remind the recipient of your expertise.
6. Social Media Cover Pages
Social media channels like Facebook and YouTube provide users with wide cover pages that can be used for different purposes. One of the ways realtors can utilize these cover pages is to use positive quotes on them. This way, whenever your audience visits your channels on social media, the first thing they will see will be the positive quotes from your previous clients. That’s the great first impression you are looking for as a realtor.
7. Trust Badges
Another concept suggested by Updater is that realtors can use their website to further highlight their social proof for real estate with a trust badge. This is how it goes: if “you trust X” and “X trusts me,” then “you can trust me.” For example, many businesses include the Better Business Bureau (BBB) badge to increase their reputation and provide social proof.
8. Awards
If your business has won any awards, you can show them on your homepage. Like trust badges, this works toward building trust and providing social proof that other businesses and organizations validate your business. Therefore, what you claim as your achievements and accomplishments are more credible.
| Note: Remember that your audience does not care about what and who you think you are. Showing off awards should be limited to assuring your audience you know your way around business. But your focus should be on how you can help them. |
9. Social Proof Notification
When people visit your website, they don’t know how popular it is or if they are the only ones on it. If your website gets decent visitors at a given time, it makes sense to utilize notifications like: “X number of people are currently looking at this property” This way, you convey that you are a trusted realtor and that the visitor is not alone.
Note: If your website is relatively new and doesn’t get much traffic. Revealing such data can backfire and harm your business. It doesn’t feel encouraging to know that you have been the second person to visit a property in the last month.
10. Data on Your Business
If you have a look at some of the most successful realtors’ websites, you will see that almost all of them mention some numbers on the deals they have closed in the last month, year, etc. The reason behind this is that people trust numbers more than claims.
Your claims that you can sell X number of properties in a given period pales in comparison to mentioning how much you have sold in dollars. Try to include such metrics:
- The total value of sold properties
- Total number of properties you have sold
- Total number of clients you have worked with
- Your average time to sell a property
- Your fastest time to sell a property
| Note: If you are a beginner, there is no point in mentioning you have not closed many deals. Save this for later when you have some impressive numbers |
11. Landing Pages
Landing pages are specifically designed pages on your website with a standalone purpose and direct visitors to your defined sales funnel. They can generate leads by acquiring visitors’ contact information in return for valuable information, or they might promote your services, including listings.
Landing pages are usually promoted and get decent traffic, including clients’ testimonials here, which will improve their efficiency.
12. Newsletters
Once you have built a decent and solid audience base by making email lists, you are ready to nurture those leads by sending them listings and valuable content. Newsletters are used to update and inform your audience in an engaging and motivating way.
Testimonials can be included in such emails to provide social proof and increase the chances recipients will act on the emails.
Takeaway
Nobody can ignore the effect of social proof in real estate. The business is about clients working with agents; your viewers need to know how well you would work with them.
Realtors may claim many things, but since they have no “Specification Tables” announced for them like products, they need to look for another way to prove their worth and value. That’s where social proof comes into play. People trust others, so you need to get others (your recent clients) to talk for you.
Read More: Create Trust in Real Estate and Get Through Tough Times – The “Know-Like-Trust” Factor
