In order to sell more houses, you must first sell yourself to potential clients. Your marketing message and client testimonials can truly set you apart from the competition.
What others say about you may be just as important as your own marketing message. In today’s information age, people tend to do a little homework before making a purchase or hiring for services. Often, folks rely on the referrals and testimonials of others.
The fact is that testimonials work. If at the end of a listing presentation you provide Mr and Mrs Seller with a list of names and positive comments from other happy sellers, this automatically gives you credibility. Or while a homebuyer is searching the web, they come across several testimonials showing how you have helped others save money and time, this person now feels you might be just the expert they are searching for.
You now have an advantage over the competition and a better opportunity to turn leads into clients.
As REALTORS, how many of you have one or more marketing messages posted on your website, printed materials, and advertisements? All of us, right?
And how many of those include testimonials from your clients? If you don’t have testimonials yet, get some. Ask each client personally for a written synopsis of their experience with you. You can even help them promote the message you want to convey by asking questions.
Mr Seller, how much money did I save you in selling your home? Mrs Buyer, did I negotiate an excellent price for you on this home? Did I make the escrow process as painless as possible? Did I always follow up in a timely manner? Would you recommend my services to others?
Adding testimonials to your sales message is certainly not a new concept. Jay Abraham, perhaps the most famous marketer of them all, stresses the importance of getting your clients to talk on your behalf. “Provide testimonials and show examples…that other clients have experienced…” he pitches to a group of business clients (Summaries of the Master Marketing Strategies, 2003). In fact, as popular as he is, even he displays client testimonials on his own website.
Always be sure to keep a copy of the original testimonial from each client – and be sure to get the client’s permission to publish their name and comments.
If you are new to the business with no clients yet, ask if your brokerage has some statistics and testimonials that you can use. You could use something like “My company sold over 1200 homes last year” and “92% of my company’s clients would recommend us to their friends.” This can get you started. Then, ask for testimonials from every client you service.
When you post the testimonials on your website and printed materials, be sure to include the client’s full name. Using anonymous names or initials makes it look like the clients aren’t real. This can actually detract from your credibility. Adding full names and possibly the city or phone number gives your testimonial a human touch.
And you will be seen by potential clients as the trustworthy and reliable agent that they are seeking.
~ Andrea Messenger
