My problem with testimonials is always 'where' to get them.  Some clients are on LinkedIn but not YELP, others don't have a google account.  I've got some on yelp, google, linkedIn, Trulia, and scattered around to some other places, but it's hard to get them concentrated to one place for me.

Results don't lie is my driving force. Not others saying it but me producing it

Guilty of not asking for testimonials! Got to change that!

They have not grown into the successful agent they could be if the asked for referrals.  It could more than double their yearly income.

I can't even begin to guess why other Realtors do or don't do something...

My issue with testimonials is where do you put them?  Yelp?  Google business page? AR?  Zillow?  Trulia?  How easy are they for the client to create?  Does the provider control whether they get posted (Zillow does)?  Will these services be there tomorrow?

Having them on your website is good, but not the best place in the world.

It seems most clients are reluctant to write them.  I suppose it's a time thing.  I post all mine on my website. 

I can't answer why others do or do not do various things and I don't worry about it.

I believe that the biggest issue is getting customers to follow through.  We've had MANY customers tell us they would do it and they have never followed through...even after we have send emails w/ easy links.

I ask agents what they do, and they are having the same issues, even the larger teams.

The 2nd issue is that there are so many sites to do reviews...for me it's Angie's List, Yelp, Google, FB, my 2 websites, and AR.

For many of the places, people need to sign up for an accts, so a lot people don't.  Also, on  places like yelp, many are hidden.

I admit, I rarely ask. I have some that are not solicited which mean the most to me. I know I should ask, but I'm dreadful at asking for someone to praise me.

I think it's a matter of forgetting to post them here, more than anything else.

I recently secured a listing from a client who was reading my client testimonials. They do work and I try to keep mine updated as much as possible. 

I believe agents don't ask for them. There are so many sites where you can be reviewed, google, facebook, zillow or create a survey at Survey Monkey. The third party endorsement is so very important.

Perhaps realtors need to be taught how to do this. Reputation management is a job in itself!

 Good Friday morning Val. Would anybody really post something negative about themselves? That is the main reason that I do not do testimonials.

Lazy, or shy I guess. 

I have had emails asking for testimonials sent from Z and T. These sites make your client create an account. No one I've worked with wants to do this, and I don't blame them. So that's one reason you don't see a lot of testimonials on those sites. I do ask for them. 

Maybe they are afraid of what their clients would say, or perhaps they just forgot to ask at the right time.

You need to remember we are in a 90 /10 or 80/20 real estate world (agent wise) depending on the local market you are in. 10% of the agents do 90% of the business.

Val,
# 1 I haven’t found them to be important. People decide whether I’m good or not based on their own experience.

# 2 Some people are better than others at asking for them in a way that doesn’t offend the client.

That's a great question Val Evans .....I think we get so busy and things are going so well that we forget to ask for them ....

Most realtors fail to get testimonials due to lack of follow up.

Val, actually, I don't think that client testimonials are important unless you are trying to rig your ratings on Zillow, Trulia or some other lead selling site. I hear agents bragging about playing the system, and I think that most people are smart enough to see through it.

As a matter of fact, in my business as a Home Stager and Redesigner, I always ask for referrals, which are already given verbally. Unfortunately sometimes they are too busy with their own affairs and just forget to answer my emails with a review. I guess that's the same everywhere.

When I am not too afraid to ask they go to my personal web site and dispersed from there.

afraid to ask for them! 

Thank you for the question. I need to get some testimonials.

Why do so many agents not do so many things? It's not hard to get a testimonial if you ask... I just don't think it's on the radar of many agents.

I have never asked for testimonials and have never used them in my marketing.