When communities were smaller, and people knew each other personally, businesses worked on customer goodwill and word of mouth. Today, communities are bigger, and businesses may not know their customers personally, but customers’ conversations regarding their experiences are still relevant. The only difference is that most conversations are now online.
Also, most potential customers will look you up on social media or Google before they decide to do business with you (especially if they do not know you). Studies show that 93% of consumers used the internet to find a local business, and 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. Hence, if the online reviews about you or your company are not positive, they will be hesitant to engage your services.
So, just like word of mouth, reviews can influence consumer decisions and increase credibility and trust – especially when the customer has not been referred to you by a friend or relative. In fact, as much as 88% of customers trust an online review as much as a personal recommendation.
This just proves that you need to pay attention to what is being said about you online.
Since Google is one of the most popular search engines, it makes sense that you have good Google reviews. Besides which, if you are a mortgage loan officer, you probably already know that Google reviews are a comparatively low-hanging fruit with many benefits and can play an essential role in growing your business. So, if you are not getting reviews from your customers, you are missing out on some valuable benefits.
Here’s How to Get More Positive Google Reviews
Google reviews for your company appear next to your Business Profile in Maps and Search – they help your mortgage loan business stand out on Google. These reviews are free and, as we have seen, one of the most effective ways to influence customers into positive action.
The best part is that if your customers have a Google account, they can give you reviews in a few quick and easy steps. They only have to google your mortgage loan company; your details will appear on the right-hand side of the screen- this is where they can leave their reviews for you.
An essential thing to bear in mind is that you need to verify your business to show up on Maps, Search, or other Google services. Another reason for verification is that only verified businesses can reply to customer reviews, which is important, as we shall see later.
However, even if you have taken care of all of the above, your customers may still not leave you reviews. Neither can you hound them to do so because people do not like to be coerced into anything. So, how do you go about it? The key lies in subtlety.
Here are a few sure-shot subtle but practical ways to get rave reviews from your customers without hounding them:
1. Quality service
It goes without saying that quality service is the bedrock for landing good reviews. When you offer client delight, your clients will be self-motivated to give you excellent reviews via word of mouth or online. Delighted customers will always want to share their experiences and tell their family and friends about you. However, although many may give you great reviews on their own, others may need a gentle nudge in the right direction.
2. Gentle reminders
Although your customers may have great things to say about your service, let’s face it, people are busy, and they do tend to forget even though they may have the best of intentions. So, when you have closed a deal, you could politely ask your customers to leave a review. This is also a good idea because you want your customers to give you reviews when the experience is fresh in their minds.
3. Make it easy for them
Another reason why your customers may not give you reviews is that they may be intimidated, thinking that the process is complicated. Assure them it is not by deliberately informing them that it is quick and easy and can be done on laptops or mobile devices.
What you could also do is, after you have reminded them to leave you a review, try and simplify things and make it as easy for them as you possibly can. For example, you can send them a link that takes them straight to the page for reviews-then all they have to do is write their review and hit the submit button.
4. Make it a point to reply to reviews
When you do get reviews, make it a point to reply to all of them. Replying to your Google reviews shows that you care, and this builds trust. Handling negative ones diplomatically and thanking customers for positive ones will encourage more people to leave reviews for you. And as mentioned earlier, this is where the verification of your business comes in handy.
The great part is that going through the reviews will also help you gauge where you are lacking and improve your service.
If you have done all of the above and your customers still do not leave you reviews, you will need to nudge them again- but subtly!
5. Send them gifts
Gifts are a subtle yet powerful way to remind clients that they should leave you a review. When you do something positive for the client, they want to do something positive for you in return. This becomes even easier when you use a gifting service like Eva.
Let us explain! When you want to give your client a gift, you log into Eva and specify how much you want to spend. Eva then generates a link you send your client. When the client clicks on the link, Eva has a chat with them to find out their preferences to pick out a suitable gift.
But the important thing is that when you send your client the Eva-generated link, you can also send them a link to the review page. Receiving a gift from you also makes them more inclined to give you a positive review. This is a subtle and effective strategy to get good Google reviews.
Conclusion
On the whole, not having any Google reviews won’t necessarily say anything negative about your loan mortgage business, but it won’t do anything to help either. On the other hand, positive reviews can reassure new clients and help them take that next step and reach out. As a result, reviews play a huge part in bringing in new clients and improving your service.
But, you can see, you do not have to chase and harass your customers to get reviews aggressively; you can do it subtly and with dignity.
So, going forward, you should harness the power of Google reviews for your business!
If you want to know more about using our gifting service to get more positive reviews, contact us. Or you could even check out our free 14-day trial.
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