No matter where you are, how experienced you are, or what clients you work with, one thing is certain: Most of your future leads will hear about you online. Their first impression from your online presence is a "make or break" factor in whether they contact you.

The challenge: That first impression doesn't always come from your own website.

Increasingly, online reviews come even before your own site in shaping perceptions.

Customers are more likely to share negative experiences online than positive ones. You can't control what people choose to post, but you can put processes in place that allow you to put your best foot forward with current and future customers.

It's called reputation management, and it's essential for any real estate agent.

There are three prongs to a reputation management strategy:

• Encourage customers who are happy with your service to speak out
• Act quickly to resolve the underlying issues behind negative reviews
• Recognize and monitor avenues where people talk about your brand

Luckily, this isn't as complex as it might seem. With the right technologies and techniques, you can make reputation management an ongoing part of your strategy to shape your brand image.

Here's how:

1. Proactively Request Reviews from Your Happy Customers
   Follow-up is the key to success as a real estate agent. That also means following up with satisfied customers! Don't just email and ask for a testimonial: Order your customers a moving day pizza, send them a card, then make a personal call. This creates reciprocity, making it more likely they'll take time out of their busy day to help you.
   
   
2. Ask the Right Questions to Get the Information You Want
   Ask for feedback off the top of someone's head and vague testimonials are the result. It may seem self-aggrandizing, but asking specific questions is helpful for your customer and you. Questions like "What made you choose me?" and "What's the best thing I did to help you?" will get them thinking. You're more likely to end up with terrific quotes.
   
   
3. Share Positive Reviews on Your Website and Social Media
   Whenever you get positive reviews, share them far and wide. Customer success stories you highlight on social media can seem more fresh and compelling than those encountered later on your real estate website. With Pipeline Manager and the other features of DeltaNET 6, you can automate the sharing of customer reviews to Facebook to spread the news about your real estate business to social media followers.
   
   
4. Use Images or Videos to Enhance Reviews
   Yes, some businesses create fake reviews so they can stand out from the pack. Unethical as it is, it's not always obvious. One way to build trust in your hard-earned reviews is to include a photo of the customer. Some may even be willing to record a video testimonial. Just be sure you have a release on file so there'll be no questions about using their image in the future.
   
   
5. Take Control Over Your Profile in Business Directories
   Review platforms like Yelp are transforming the way leads make decisions. Websites like these automatically create a business page without your input, so sign up and take control. Also be sure you're the manager of your Google My Business page, which can help you get noticed locally.
   
   
6. Use Periodic Follow-Up to Encourage Referral Business
   When the sale or purchase is done, the relationship isn't over. It's a good idea to follow up after a month, six months, during the holidays of the first year, and on the one-year anniversary. The more genuine the interest you show in others, the more likely they are to recommend you.
   
   
7. Encourage Customers to Subscribe to (and Stay on) Your Email List
   Your email list is one of your most powerful relationship-building tools over a customer's whole lifetime. Email isn't just for leads: By sharing content related to homeownership, you can keep existing customers subscribed so you retain an open channel of communication.
   
   
8. Respond Professionally to Negative Reviews
   Everyone, in every industry, gets some negative reviews. Frustrated customers may want to blame you for circumstances outside your control. Respond directly to the review in a calm and professional matter, then take the talk private. If the problem is something you can solve, do your best – some reviewers may be so impressed, they remove their negative feedback.

Reputation Management is Easier With the Best Real Estate Marketing Technology

Including just one testimonial on key pages throughout your website can raise your conversion rates by more than 30%. But a complete reputation management strategy is best: It ensures you always have a say in how you're perceived.

Delta Media Group provides customers with the tools they need to automate workflows and promote their services while keeping the personal touch. That's the golden key to creating work-life balance while maintaining an excellent customer experience.

Contact us to find out more today.