What can ag lenders learn from local plumbers? 

Replace “plumbers” with “HVAC,” “lawn care,” or any other local business, and you’ll end up with the same lesson: online reputation management matters. 

I’ve spent the last seven years helping ag & rural lenders generate new business from digital sources. A lot has changed in that time. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has died five times (or so people thought), while Google has aggressively pushed AI powered Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign types on accounts that aren’t optimized for it.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of local reputation management: putting your best foot forward for new and existing clients. 

This means optimizing the first thing your prospects and clients see when they search for your business: your Google Business profile. It’s the entryway to your brand for prospects. For existing customers it’s a place they can view social proof and confirm they’ve made the right decision.

Yet this sales tool is overlooked.
Lenders with five, 10, 20, or even 30+ locations will spend tens of thousands of dollars a month on advertising… just for their Google Business profile to show off a 3.1 star rating. 

Where can we turn to learn the ways of local reputation management and lead generation? 

Enter: The Plumber 

(Side note: My favorite plumber in Austin is called “Plumb and Order”. They drive around in a van with the Law & Order font for a logo.) 

Compare the above image of a search for an ag lender with a similar search for a nearby plumber (apples vs oranges you say. Maybe, but there is still something to learn here). 

1,800 reviews. 4.8 star average!

That’s not an accident. It took a proven and repeatable process. 

And it’s not just the average rating that matters. Review recency and frequency influence local search rankings and click-through rates.
Even with increased review frequency, lenders aren’t likely to get 1,800 reviews. But they don’t need to.
Graduating from three 3-star reviews from three years ago, to 50 reviews at 4.8 stars (including reviews as recent as last week), is achievable. More importantly, it has a real impact on leads generated and closed loan volume. 

So how do you do it?
The quickest way is to head over to PayDirtDigital.ag and set up a call. 😉
But for now, we again turn to the plumber for guidance. 

The Plumber’s Guide for Generating Reviews (and Closing Loans)

1. Ask Every Single Time 

Don’t leave it to chance. Ask for reviews as soon as a loan closes or a service is delivered. 

• For lenders, that’s at closing or immediately after good news (clear to close, approval, funded loan).
• Bake this into your CRM. Some systems will be able to send automated reminders.
• But an even better option is to make it personal by building the ask into your team’s process. Send a text or email with the Google review link as soon as the loan closes.

Next-level tip: Integrate reviews across social channels.

Super secret tip: Review data can help inform your lead scoring formula for paid campaigns (that’s another topic).

2. Make It Frictionless

Don’t drop a vague “review us online” note at the bottom of an email. Send a direct link that opens the review box.

• For lenders, create a shortened custom link (Google’s “Write a review” link) and have staff use it in all relevant communications.
• QR codes at closings, in email signatures, and even on thank-you or holiday gifts (like that box of chocolates) can make it effortless.
  

3. Incentivize with Humanity

The closing process is long. Your loan officers and staff likely know the client pretty well by the end of it, if they didn’t already. (Just like your plumber probably gets to know you pretty well as they spend hours snaking your drains.)

When you ask for a review let the client know how important it is to your business. Let them know their feedback (good or bad) is always valued. 

• Example: “Your review helps local families find a lender they can trust. We’d be so grateful if you shared your experience.”
• Never incentivize with cash or other rewards. In addition to being unethical, it’s against Google’s review policy. In a world of AI slop, brands should be showcasing genuine human interaction.
  

4. Follow Up (Don’t Nag)

Send a follow-up note once after close and again again about a week later. 

• Automate both touchpoints (better yet: automate reminders for your staff to send their follow-ups).
• Bonus: Have the loan officer personally follow up. A personal note dramatically boosts response rates.
  

5. Respond to Every Review

Reply to every review, good and bad. Mistakes happen so don’t shy away. 

• For lenders, this signals professionalism and care. A simple “Thanks for trusting us with your home loan, John!” goes a long way.
• Negative reviews? Address politely and show willingness to improve. Prospects trust businesses more when they see constructive responses.

Bonus: You might find that the process of improving your reviews improves your actual service and client retention. 

Advertising & Local Search Implications 

Our lending clients inherently understand the importance of local relationships. That’s why we call it Reputation Management. 

But at some point business needs to happen. Consider how your review rating and recency can influence the effectiveness of your own local ads: 

The top result is a sponsored result for the term “home mortgage.” 

4 stars from 25 reviews. Not bad… until you see the top organic placement has 4.9 stars from 227(!) reviews. 

Who are you going to trust? 

Or consider how these reviews affect your local search rankings. 

(The center of the image above, marked by the red dot, represents our client’s branch location. The circles extending away from the center represent search rankings for that branch for a given keyword at that distance from the branch location. Green is good, and red is bad. Luckily the yellow/red in this image are areas dominated by a neighboring branch of the same client). 

What’s Next

There’s a reason that when you google for a local plumber, you’re often met with a range of options with hundreds of combined reviews. And that social proof matters. When your toilet is overflowing, you want to hire someone you can trust. 

Your lending clients might not be in quite as dire of a situation as a flooded bathroom. But they still value social proof — and you can still use similar tactics that local service providers use to jet to the top of those search rankings. 

Applying those lessons can take a lot of time and effort on your own, though. That’s why Pay Dirt Digital has developed an online reputation management system specifically with ag and rural lenders in mind. Our custom-built strategies help improve lenders’ local search results, increase deal flow, and close more loans. Some of our lending clients have even been with us for more than six years, as they continue to earn more clients and solidify their reputation in their region. 

As a strategic partner, we take the time to understand our clients’ specific needs, goals, current processes, and competitors, so we can identify the best opportunities for improvement — then execute on those ideas.  

If you’re an ag/rural lender with 10+ locations looking to manage your local reputation, increase your deal flow, and ensure clients see your name on the page when they search for help, check out resources here. You can also reach out for an audit of your current digital footprint to understand where your processes are working and where your business has opportunities to improve.