Word-of-mouth recommendations are more powerful and persuasive than slick advertising.

Real stories from real people who have done business with you demonstrate the value you provide in ways that self-serving marketing statements just can’t. That’s why third-party reviews at sites like Yelp and Google Places are becoming critically important to your reputation – and ultimately your sales.

It’s about trust, and reviews help build trust.

Reviews also help build traffic, as proven recently by Intuit, provider of QuickBooks, and Bazaarvoice, a company that enables Web-based reviews. ProAdvisors are consultants and trainers certified in QuickBooks, and those with reviews in their profiles are 555% more likely to get click-throughs than their peers without reviews.

What’s more, the rating doesn’t matter as much as the number of reviews. A business showing a four out of possible five-star rating that had 10 reviews attracts more clicks than a five-star rating with only two reviews. This means that volume matters, so it’s time to start generating reviews now.

This is true for real estate professionals as well as other small businesses.

Let us know if you need help claiming your Google Places or Yelp listing, or you need any help at all with your review program.