I’ve never had a seller say, “We chose you because of your testimonials.” But I’ve absolutely had listing appointments where I could tell the decision was already made before I even sat down. That’s the power of real estate testimonials.
Years ago, I met with a seller who was interviewing three agents. When I arrived, she had my website open—specifically the section with my client testimonials. As we talked, she mentioned one of them by name.
“I read what Sarah said about how you handled the sale of her condo downtown—that sounded like a nightmare. You really helped her through that?”
She didn’t ask about my listing presentation or my years in the business. She was focused on what other people said it was like to work with me. That made her feel confident and safe—and that’s what actually wins listings.
The truth is, testimonials don’t do the heavy lifting in the moment—you won’t close a deal on a quote alone. But they do shape perception before someone even contacts you. They set expectations, build trust, and eliminate doubt. And in a market where trust is everything, that can make all the difference.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to:
- Ask for testimonials without it feeling awkward
- Get clients to write ones that actually move the needle
- Display them in places where they influence real decisions
…because testimonials are one of the most effective tools in real estate lead generation.
How and When to Ask for Real Estate Testimonials
Let me start by clearing something up—asking for a testimonial isn’t awkward unless you make it awkward. Most clients are happy to share a few words about their experience, especially if they felt supported, heard, and well-represented.
But timing matters. Ask too early, and they’ll feel like the deal isn’t done yet. Wait too long, and the moment passes. After 30 years in the business, here’s what I’ve found works best.
Ask Right After a Win (Not Just After Closing)
Yes, closing day is a natural time to ask. But the best testimonials often come when emotions are high—and that might happen before the transaction ends.
For example:
- Right after a tough inspection is negotiated in your client’s favor
- When an offer comes in over asking
- The moment you help them beat out five competing offers
That’s when clients are most likely to say things like, “You were amazing through this process!”—and you can say,
“That means a lot. Would you mind writing a quick note about this part of the experience? I’d love to share that with other clients.”
It’s not about asking for praise—it’s about documenting the real, human parts of the process.
Make It Easy for Them
Most clients want to help, but they don’t know what to write. I never say, “Can you write me a testimonial?” Instead, I guide them with a short prompt:
“Would you mind writing a few lines about what it was like to work together—especially what surprised you or what you appreciated most about the process?”
Sometimes I give them examples:
- “I didn’t expect [agent] to be that hands-on during the sale”
- “They kept me calm during a stressful process”
- “Helped me win my dream home in a competitive market”
You’re not scripting their words—you’re giving them a framework.
Use a Simple System
I usually send a follow-up email or text that includes:
- A thank-you
- A quick recap of the milestone we just hit
- A link to a Google form or my Zillow/Google review link
Keep it low friction. No login, no fancy software, no big ask. Just a human-to-human request at the right time.
What Makes a Real Estate Testimonial Actually Effective
Not all testimonials are created equal. In fact, most of the ones I see on agent websites sound almost identical:
“She was great to work with!”
“Very professional.”
“Would recommend!”
Helpful? Sort of. Memorable? Not at all.
An effective testimonial doesn’t just say you did your job—it proves how you solved a problem, calmed a fear, or created a result that mattered. The key is getting clients to speak to the experience, not just the outcome.
Here’s what makes a testimonial work:
Specificity
Vague praise is easy to ignore. Specific moments create emotional connection.
Compare:
- “He helped us sell quickly.”
to - “We thought it would take months to sell, but within two weeks, [Agent] brought in multiple offers—one above asking.”
The second one tells a story.
Emotion
The best testimonials hint at how the client felt working with you. Buying or selling is emotional—your testimonials should reflect that.
Look for comments like:
- “We felt like we had a partner through every step.”
- “She made a stressful process feel manageable.”
- “We never felt pressured—just supported.”
These help future clients imagine what it would feel like to work with you.
Objection Handling
Great testimonials answer the questions a prospective client might be too afraid to ask.
For example:
- “We were nervous about selling while buying, but [Agent] handled the timing perfectly.”
- “I thought we were priced too high, but [Agent] knew the market—and she was right.”
These testimonials reduce risk and build trust before you ever speak to a lead. As part of your broader real estate marketing, testimonials give your brand real-world proof.
How to Get These Types of Testimonials
When a client says something meaningful in conversation, I ask:
“Can I quote you on that?”
I’ll even write it down and email it to them for approval if they’re busy. Nine times out of ten, they say yes.
If I’m sending a request after closing, I’ll include examples like:
- “What were you most nervous about before hiring me?”
- “Was there a moment you knew you’d made the right choice?”
- “What would you tell someone who’s considering working with me?”
When you ask better questions, you get better testimonials.
Where and How to Display Testimonials for Maximum Impact
Let’s be honest—most agents bury their testimonials on a separate page no one visits. Or worse, they slap a few quotes at the bottom of their website and hope it builds trust.
But if you want testimonials to actually help you win business, you need to treat them like marketing assets, not afterthoughts. They should show up where your leads are actively making decisions—because that’s when social proof does the heavy lifting.
Here’s where I put mine—and why each spot works.
Your Homepage
If a prospective client only visits one page, it’s this one. I always include:
- A short testimonial “highlight” section halfway down the page
- Rotating quotes with headshots (if I have them)
- A link to “read more success stories”
Bio/About Page
People don’t just want to know what you’ve done—they want to know what it’s like to work with you. This is where personality meets proof.
On my bio page, I include:
- A quote that touches on my style (e.g., calm under pressure, strong negotiator)
- A testimonial from a client who had a situation similar to the audience I’m targeting (first-time buyer, downsizer, investor, etc.)
That makes the reader think, “This agent gets people like me.”
Listing Presentations and Pre-Listing Packages
Listing presentation is one of the most powerful places to use testimonials—especially printed or Highnote digital listing packages.
I include:
- One short quote per section (marketing, negotiation, communication, etc.)
- A short “client wins” section with 2–3 mini case studies
Why it works: when a seller is reading your pitch, and it’s backed by someone else’s words, your claims feel 10x more believable.
Use testimonials to strengthen your property presentation techniques and close the trust gap.
Email Signatures and Lead Follow-Up
I add a short quote under my email signature:
“We never felt like just another transaction.” – The Martins, Sellers in Midtown
It’s subtle, but it reinforces credibility in every single email.
You can also include testimonial snippets in:
- Follow-up emails after open houses
- Replies to new buyer inquiries
- Drip campaigns
A strong quote in your signature can elevate your real estate email marketing strategy.
Social Media
Testimonials make perfect low-effort, high-impact content.
Ideas:
- Turn quotes into branded quote cards (using Canva)
- Record a 30-second video breaking down “the story behind the testimonial”
- Create a “Client Wins” highlight on Instagram
This not only builds trust but also reminds your audience you’re active and producing results.
Create a Dedicated Page on Your Website
This might seem obvious, but most agents either don’t have one, or it’s buried, bland, and barely updated.
A dedicated testimonial page gives your social proof a permanent home—and lets you use it in multiple ways:
- Link to it from your homepage, footer, email signature, and bio
- Send it to leads who are “on the fence” to nudge them toward a decision
- Use it to group testimonials by client type (first-time buyers, sellers, investors)
If you really want to go all-in, include:
- Client photos (with permission)
- Video testimonials (even 30-second iPhone clips)
- Short context or “mini stories” before each quote
It should feel like a real-time reel of what it’s like to work with you—not just a wall of text.
And don’t wait for the page to get huge. Start with 3 to 5 strong testimonials and build from there. It’s more about quality and clarity than quantity.
How to Make It Easy for Clients to Leave Real Estate Testimonials
The number one reason agents don’t have great testimonials? They make the process too complicated for their clients.
I’ve learned this the hard way. Early on, I’d say things like,
“If you get a chance, I’d really appreciate a review—just whenever you have time.”
Guess how many testimonials I got from that? Almost none.
Clients aren’t unwilling—they’re just busy. Your job is to reduce friction. The easier you make it, the more (and better) testimonials you’ll get.
Use Simple, Direct Requests
Instead of asking vaguely, make the request clear and time-specific:
“Would you mind writing a quick testimonial today or tomorrow while everything’s still fresh? Just a few lines about what it was like working together.”
I usually send this via text or email—whichever they’ve used most during the transaction.
Offer Writing Prompts
A blank page is intimidating. Help your clients get started with quick prompts like:
- What were you nervous about before hiring me?
- What stood out about how I handled the process?
- Would you recommend me to others? Why?
You can include these directly in your follow-up message or embed them in a form.
Use Tools That Streamline the Process
Here are a few tools I’ve used (or seen agents use effectively) to make leaving testimonials dead simple:
Tool | What It Does | Best For |
Google Review Link Generator | Creates a direct link to your Google review page | Local SEO + visibility |
Zillow Reviews | Sends requests via your agent dashboard | Buyers and sellers on Zillow |
Typeform / Google Forms | Lets you create a short, branded testimonial form | Custom feedback with structure |
Highnote | Add a feedback/testimonial request to your listing recap package | Post-closing follow-up |
Socius / Testimonial Tree | Automates review collection and syndicates across platforms | Scaling testimonials at volume |
VideoAsk | Lets clients record video testimonials from their phone or desktop | Capturing authentic video reviews |
Pick one or two, not all. Simplicity is key. VideoAsk is especially useful because it removes friction—clients don’t need to download anything, and you can guide them with prompts like:
“What was your biggest fear before hiring me? How did I help you through that?”
You can embed VideoAsk links in your emails, Highnote packages, or even text them directly.
Make It Part of Your Process
Don’t treat testimonials like a bonus task—bake it into your client workflow. I do it like this:
- Send a testimonial request the same day I hand over keys or confirm a closing
- Include the request in my thank-you message
- If I don’t hear back in a few days, I follow up once (politely)
Once it’s routine, you don’t have to think about it—and your collection grows on autopilot.
Turning Real Estate Agent Testimonials Into Client-Converting Stories
Most agents treat testimonials like background noise—quotes thrown into a sidebar or footer. But the smartest agents turn them into something more: mini-case studies that connect with future clients on a human level.
Because here’s the truth: a testimonial isn’t about you. It’s about helping your next client say, “That sounds like me.”
Shift from quote to story
Instead of just posting a quote like:
“[Agent] was amazing—we sold fast and got what we wanted.”
Turn it into a short, structured narrative that shows:
- What challenge the client faced
- What you did
- What the outcome was
- How the client felt about the process
Example:
When Mia and John reached out, they were nervous about listing during a slow season. They’d been watching the market dip and were worried their home would sit. We repositioned their listing with new photography, updated pricing strategy, and weekly feedback reports. Within 9 days, they had two offers—one over asking.
Mia later wrote, “We never expected it to go that fast. [Agent] gave us confidence from day one.”
Now you’ve told a story—something a seller can relate to and trust.
Where to use these story-style testimonials
- On your website: as full-page features or grouped by client type (first-time buyers, downsizers, luxury sellers)
- In listing presentations: as real-life “proof points” aligned with the seller’s concerns
- In lead nurturing emails: especially in sequences where trust is still being built
- On social media: short stories, videos, or carousel-style posts with before-and-after context
Format tip: use the “challenge → solution → result” model
It’s simple, relatable, and universal:
- Challenge: What they were struggling with
- Solution: What you did to help
- Result: What changed for them
If you collect the right testimonials, you already have this information—you just need to shape it.
Testimonials Are Quiet, Consistent Conversion Tools
Here’s the thing about testimonials—they don’t work like ads. You won’t get a flood of calls the moment you publish a new one. But over time, they quietly do their job in the background: they build trust, reduce skepticism, and give future clients the confidence to move forward with you.
In my experience, the agents who win the most business aren’t the ones with the flashiest websites or the biggest budgets—they’re the ones whose clients do the talking for them.
Every good testimonial is a referral that never stops working.
So if you’ve been putting this off because it feels awkward, manual, or just one more thing to manage—don’t overthink it. Start with one great client. Ask the right question. Make it easy. And then do it again. Build the system.
Because when you walk into that next listing appointment, you want your prospect thinking,
“This is the agent I’ve heard about.”
And your testimonials are what make that happen—before you even open your mouth.
