Stay Paid Podcast: “AI, Reviews & Trust - The Future of Sales Is Here”

Date: September 18, 2025
Hosts: Luke Acree, Josh Stike
Special Guest: Jonas Roser (CEO/CMO, Agent Review)

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, the Stay Paid team dives deep into how artificial intelligence, online reviews, and trust are rapidly reshaping the sales and service landscape for agents and entrepreneurs. Hosts Luke Acree and Josh Stike, along with returning panelists Cody Smith and Stephen Acree, welcome Jonas Roser—an award-winning marketing leader and CEO/CMO at Agent Review. The conversation ranges from stories about the pitfalls of review strategy choices to practical steps for leveraging reviews and AI to build credibility, future-proof lead generation, and master reputation management.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Critical Role of Reviews Today

(00:53–02:03)

• Luke recounts ReminderMedia’s early review strategy—a focus on Facebook that backfired due to crypto spam bots, highlighting the risk of putting all your eggs in one platform’s basket.
• Josh queries Jonas: Why agent reviews, and what makes building this platform vital in an age of so many review sites?

Jonas Roser:

“Reviews are the new trust currency right now.” (05:58)

2. The Agent Review Origin Story & The AI-Powered Comeback

(02:03–03:35)

• Jonas shares the backstory: Agent Review began ten years ago but paused due to personal and financial setbacks.
• Revival came through AI—rebuilding the platform to integrate AI for enhanced reviews and smarter site functionality.

Jonas Roser:

“My co-founder… said, what if we rebuild the site with AI? And that’s what we did. …you know what, reviews is the future for the salesperson right now.” (03:06–03:35)

3. How AI is Transforming Search & Trust

(03:35–06:47)

• AI is beginning to overtake Google for consumer search; reviews increasingly fuel AI’s outputs and recommendations.
• Reviews, especially those rich in natural language and trust signals, “feed” AI for more credible recommendations.
• Hosts reference Jason Pantana’s hack: interrogate AI on how and why it recommends certain businesses, then optimize for those data sources.

Luke Acree:

“I actually had [ChatGPT] make me a checklist of the 10 things that we needed to do to optimize our site and our Google profile to be recommended by ChatGPT.” (06:47–06:58)

4. Actionable Review Generation Strategies

(07:33–09:56)

• Timing matters: ask for reviews right after a positive experience—not after a denial or disappointment.
• Make it about helping others, not just promoting yourself: “Writing this review not only helps me, it helps others realize why they need this policy…”
• Eliminate friction: Google’s review process can be hampered by the need for a Gmail account, so give clients a direct, easy-to-use review link (as Agent Review does).
• Personalize requests: follow up after client milestones and clarify exactly why a review is valuable.

Jonas Roser:

“It just takes doing… the best time to ask a review is after you’ve had a positive experience with a client… Make sure you’re using a platform that’s frictionless.” (07:33–09:56)

5. Diversifying & Optimizing Digital Review Footprint

(09:56–10:36)

• Cody and Stephen probe: Should you focus on a single platform or spread reviews across Zillow, Google, Facebook, etc.?
• Jonas’s advice: “Tackle them all”—the wider your footprint, the greater your SEO and credibility.
• “Full circle” hack: Mention your own professional keywords even when leaving reviews for other businesses, increasing your digital signal.

Jonas Roser:

“When you’re leaving reviews for others, you are putting keywords about yourself. …It’s exactly what I said.” (10:42–10:52)

Cody Smith:

“Imagine, Steven, you go and review all the restaurants in Lynchburg and you go: ‘Steven with Acre Brothers Realty here, we run the number one team in Lynchburg and I love this restaurant…’” (10:59–11:18)

6. Review Volume, Psychology, and Lead Flow

(11:57–13:55)

• Is there a “magic number” of reviews? More is better, but context matters (individual agent vs. corporate business).
• Reviews act as a modern-day referral system.
• The psychological effect: Large review counts (“social proof”) can boost consumer trust, but relevance and recent activity matter too.

Jonas Roser:

“It is a numbers game. You want to have as many reviews as possible—and as many positive reviews, right? …Because reviews is reputation management. …It is the digital way that referrals happen today.” (12:34–13:55)

7. Handling Negative Reviews & Reputation Management

(13:55–end)

• Negative reviews come with the territory—especially with a large, longstanding client base.
• The discussion leads into managing negative feedback and using it constructively (note: conversation continues after transcript cutoff).

Memorable Quotes

• Jonas Roser:

  “Reviews are the new trust currency right now.” (05:58)

• Jonas Roser:

  “AI is built off of tone, it’s built off of natural language… and it’s based off of trust.” (04:26–04:34)

• Luke Acree:

  “I actually had [ChatGPT] make me a checklist of the 10 things we needed to do to optimize our site and our Google profile to be recommended by ChatGPT.” (06:47–06:58)

• Jonas Roser:

  “You need as big of a digital footprint as possible.” (10:12–10:36)

• Jonas Roser:

  “Because reviews is reputation management. …It is the digital way that referrals happen today.” (13:55)

Key Takeaways & Practical Steps

• Don’t rely on a single review platform—diversify for wider reach and stronger SEO.
• Make review solicitation routine and timely—ask right after a positive client experience.
• Reduce friction for clients—use easy, direct links and clear instructions.
• Use reviews to feed AI—the more credible, keyword-rich feedback about you, the better AI will represent and recommend you.
• Be proactive with negative reviews—they’re inevitable, but smart management protects and even enhances your reputation.

Useful Segments & Timestamps

• [00:53–02:03] – Why reviews matter and the pitfalls of single-platform focus
• [02:03–03:35] – Agent Review’s AI rebirth and industry implications
• [03:35–06:47] – How AI and search are transforming sales trust
• [07:33–09:56] – Review request timing and frictionless platforms
• [09:56–11:18] – Multi-platform strategy and the “reviewing others” hack
• [11:57–13:55] – Review counts, psychology, and reputation management

Overall Tone:
Practical, enthusiastic, and focused on actionable advice. Jonas brings clear industry insights while the hosts keep the discussion lively and full of real-world experience—perfect for agents, entrepreneurs, and marketers eager to master the intersection of AI, reviews, and business growth.