Build Your Review Machine Putting it all Together

Over the last few weeks we have learned: Why reviews are important – the statistical information is abundantly clear. People read and use reviews to make buying decisions. Google knows this and has adjusted it’s algorithm (especially on the Local level) to accommodate this. People trust eWOM over any other form of advertising. How to get “set up” for reviews – we walked through setting up our Social Media and Business listings across multiple platforms. We talked about the SEO power and Branding power of making sure it all matches.

Over the last few weeks we have learned: The Psychology of Reviews – why people rely on them to help make more educated buying decisions. How people process the reviews they read. Why having a bunch of glowing reviews with no substance does not help you in any way. The motivation of people who do and possibly will write reviews. How to get more reviews – instead of hoping a good customer reviews you…ask them. Be inventive in how you ask. Not just verbally, provide a take away as a reminder. Use greeting cards or to “invite” them to review you. Use words that play on their feelings of altruism or reciprocity.

Those are the building blocks of creating a marketing strategy based on people telling other people about your business. You just have to build your machine and turn it on Purposeful Planned Implementation

Through out our review sessions we have been calling it Review Funnel That’s the easiest way to think of the pieces that need to be done

Stage 1 – get customers into funnel - set up I recommend you have more than 1 way of inviting customers to review you First – Face to Face – the best time for this at closing (they are in their ether about their new home) “Mr. and Mrs. Buyer thank you so much for choosing me to help you with your home purchase. As a Local Mortgage Company I can’t compete marketing wise with those big company’s you see on TV. They got the Fonze to do a commercial for goodness sake. But when it comes to actually earning customers through Social Media channels via Customer Reviews, it’s them who can’t compete. We believe good reviews can’t be bought they must be earned. If you believe I/we have earned your recommendation, I would like to invite you to leave us a review. By sharing your experience, it helps others find the lender that is right for them.”

Have a small card or a flyer that says the same or similar to your verbal invite Include the URL address of your review page to make it very easy for them to review you Thank you for choosing us. We appreciate your business Help us Help others! You’re invited to review your experience with Legacy Mortgage Group. Just choose one or two of the review sites at It was out pleasure to serve you. Your Info Here NMLS#

Send an or a Greeting card after the closing Dear Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, Thank you for choosing me to help you with your home purchase. As a Local Mortgage Company I can’t compete marketing wise with those big company’s you see on TV. They got the Fonze to do a commercial for goodness sake. But when it comes to actually earning customers through Social Media channels via Customer Reviews, it’s them who can’t compete. We believe good reviews can’t be bought they must be earned. If you believe I/we have earned your recommendation, I would like to invite you to leave us a review. By sharing your experience, it helps others find the lender that is right for them. To leave a review, just click HERE. That will take you to my Google Business review page (it will require you be logged into your Google account). Or you can go HERE and leave a review on Facebook (this will also require you to be logged in). Thank you for your help.”

Important to remember – Not everyone is going to jump right in and leave a review – not because they don’t want – likely because they forgot 1 Follow up reminder is cool to send to your clients (don’t hound em though – it could back fire)

Send an or a Greeting card a couple of weeks later as a reminder “Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, I hope that all is well with the new home. Thank you again for choosing me to help you with that. I am hoping you will help me. The way I am able to compete with the bigger banks is by having word of mouth be my advertising. That comes in the form of reviews. These reviews help other home buyers like yourself educate themselves on the best options for their mortgage. If you feel I have earned your recommendation, I would appreciate it greatly if you would leave me a review. To make is easy I have included the links to my Google Business review page and my Facebook Business review page. Please click one and leave an honest review of your experience doing business with me. Thank you in advance for your help.”

Stage 2 – Guide them to the reviews (make it easy for them) At minimum – on your take away card, in your , in your greeting card – provide the links to the reviews sites you want people to go to To get the Google My Business review URL

To get your Facebook Fan Page review URL

Go a little further and create a Review Page This is a landing page with a very slight message to encourage people to complete the review, and direct links to your review sites First – this makes the process for those who may review you simpler The easier it is to leave a review the more likely someone is to do it Second – these work as “back links” inside your website. These links are authority third party sites, that have the same business listing info as your about you section of your website. Google really likes this type of authority back linking.

You can make a short video to play on the page (or just use text) “Hey there and thanks for coming to my review page. Your reviews Help us Help other people just like you. To leave a review, simply click on 1 or 2 of the links below. Clicking the link will take you directly to that site and my business listing for you to begin leaving a review. Thank you again for your trust, it was a pleasure to have served you” Use images to link to the various business listing and review sites.

Stage 3 – Monitor and Respond – This gives viewers of your reviews a chance to see you as engaged with your clients. These response conversations tend to be like friends chatting. It also gives you a chance to take any negative feedback head on. Allows you to make service recovery's before they can do any damage It is easy to make sure you have your notifications set

For Google Business

For Facebook notifications

You now have a complete marketing strategy for getting reviews The question is…. Who will implement it?