How (And Why) To Get Testimonials For Your Business
It’s no secret that happy customers are the key to growing your business. So how do you let potential customers and clients know that your previous customers are pleased with your services? Testimonials, of course! Even in this digital age, word of mouth is still a super powerful tool for marketing. In fact, a study found that 92% of people trust testimonials more than any other type of marketing.
Why you need client testimonials
You may think that having client testimonials are so overrated. Wrong! Testimonials do so much more for your business than take up space on your website.
Builds trust fast
With so many options out there for consumers to choose from, it’s hard to know the best product to pick. When a person can hear about a product from someone they can relate to who has tried the product already, it creates instant trust in your services or products.
Provides social proof
Testimonials are unbiased evidence that proves you know how to do what you claim you do. It means nothing if you say you can help someone earn enough income to quit their current job but it means everything if you have a real-life client saying that you helped them do that.
Shows that you’re an expert
Testimonials prove that you’re not the only person who thinks you know what you’re doing. Think about it, would you choose someone who tells you how much of an expert they are or someone who other people boast about? Let other people speak up for you.
Boosts your SEO
Having positive reviews across multiple platforms will boost your SEO and help more customers find you. Just make sure and post a link to your site on all platforms so your customers don’t get lost!
Increases your conversion rate
If you’ve had a business for more than a minute you know that customers can sometimes be indecisive when it comes to clicking that final “pay” button. A well-placed testimonial could be the perfect nudge to push an unsure customer over the fence and ready to buy.
How to get a raving testimonial:
Ok, so now that you know how crucial having client testimonials is, how do you get testimonials from your clients? And how do you make them good ones that will bring more clients?
1. Ask on delivery
Timing is so crucial to asking clients for a testimonial. The best time to ask them is directly after delivering the product or service. This is when they are most enthusiastic and you are more likely to get a raving review. When you catch your customers at this time, you’ll be able to get comments like “Wow, this is even better than I expected!” and “I’m so happy with the results!”
2. Always get written permission
You should always get a customer’s approval and consent before using their name or credentials on your website. If you don’t know the legal requirements or permissions needed, check with a local legal professional.
3. Make an impact with a photo
Customers trust real people so including a headshot of your client with their testimonial will build a ton of trust with potential customers and increase your credibility.
4. Offer customers something in return
No, we’re not talking about bribing someone to give you a good review. A great way to increase the number of reviews you get and build a rapport with them is to give customers a small incentive to leave a review (positive or negative!). For example, you could offer customers a discount on their next purchase if they leave feedback about their experience.
5. Take the pressure off
You don’t want customers to feel obligated to leave a glowing review. Those will come off feeling fake and not genuine. Instead, invite your customers to give you suggestions on how you could improve your products or services in addition to what they loved about their experience. This shows that you care about what they think and they are more likely to be honest and powerful testimonials.
6. Make the process super easy for your customers
The simpler the process is, the more likely you are to get reviews. An excellent way to streamline your testimonial collection is to create a form for customers to fill out and email them a link to where they can leave their review. An even easier method for your customers is to search for nice comments in your emails from customers and ask them for permission to use what they said.
7. Don’t forget to put your testimonials across all platforms
Customers like reviews and testimonials to be right at their fingertips and easy to find. Being present and visible on many different platforms is a great way to grow your audience and get the word out about how awesome you and your business are.
8. Prompt your clients for the right information
The key to a compelling testimonial is to paint a before and after picture. Potential dream clients need to know what your clients' lives were like before you stepped in and changed their life. They need to see exactly what working with you can bring them.
9. Keep them short and sweet
Don’t be afraid to tastefully and strategically edit your client’s testimonials. The goal is to highlight the key points, results, and benefits that will attract more clients.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask your clients for testimonials. If you feel weird saying “testimonial”, an excellent alternative is to ask for “feedback” instead. It sounds less like marketing and will put most customers at ease. No matter your business, you should make gathering testimonials a routine part of your business. That way you will always have a bank of relevant reviews to use in your marketing channels.
Be sure to follow us for more great articles and tips about Network Marketing. We are She Reigns Creative and we provide marketing services to Network Marketers.
Here is a helpful article 7 Myths About Running Your Own Business
Join Our Marketing, Mindset & Accountability Group Now
© 2020 She Reigns Creative