How Client Feedback Can Keep Your Business Booming

Last week, Google announced that it would begin to use profiles, pictures and recommendations of ordinary people to endorse products and services across the Web. According to the Washington Post, Google users who casually endorse a product or song on Facebook or Google "may be exposed to unwanted, and possibly misunderstood, implications," said Eric Goldman, a professor of Internet law at Santa Clara University law school.

Google said the launch of "shared endorsements" will help consumers make better choices. "We want to give you — and your friends and connections — the most useful information. Recommendations from people you know can really help," the company said, adding that users can opt out of the ads. Plus, it will exclude users under 18.

The news generated strong opinions and, of course, pushback among consumers concerned about their privacy. However, if we take a broad view of the web, it's clear that a huge portion of internet users wholeheartedly embraced the user-generated-content movement spawned by Web 2.0 years ago, and that consumers using Amazon, Zappos and other major online merchants rely on member reviews of products before buying them.

We've reported these trends on the blog before, including stories about the state of New York cracking down on fake Yelp reviews. What they all signal, beyond the negativity, is that businesses are trending away from traditional, print ads in newspapers and magazines and relying on customers to market their products and services. It's a win-win from a marketing standpoint, since happy customers (and real estate clients, of course) are more than happy to spread the news to others.

What does this all mean for real estate?

Real estate agent reviews create an excellent after-sale line of communication with your clients in addition to being excellent real estate agent marketing tools. Giving clients the opportunity to comment on your skills, service and experience shows them that you appreciated their business, care about their opinion and want to improve the way you do business.

Overall, it's a good first step in solidifying your long-term client relationships.

To view the original article, visit the ReachFactor blog.