Why are client testimonials important?
Testimonials create an enormous amount of trust because they provide proof to prospective clients that using your products and services will lead to a positive outcome. In a nutshell, they turn readers into customers.
Just starting out and don’t have any testimonials?
No problem, simply offer some discounted products and/or services to your target clients with the expressed purpose of obtaining feedback. The return on this investment will be substantial.
Why you must include adequate information about the testimonial-giver
We’ve all read client testimonials that look fabricated, and sadly, rather than creating trust, the testimonial creates distrust. To showcase authenticity include as much information about the testimonial-giver as possible, such as: full name, location, their age (if appropriate), and a website if they have one. Some testimonial-givers are also happy to supply their phone number and/or email address.
Who are the best people to write your testimonials?
Put simply, they are the people from your target market. For example, if you are selling a product to teenage boys, then the most effective and powerful client testimonials will come from other teenage boys rather than middle-aged men, mothers or teenage girls.
How to get cleint testimonials
No matter how much your client loves doing business with you, writing a testimonial can be a hassle. To make the process as easy as possible, here are some tips:
- Pursue a testimonial during the immediate post-sale glow, rather than a week or month down the track.
- If a client has emailed positive comments to you, reply back and ask if you can use their exact wording for a testimonial. This requires no work for you or the customer.
- If a client lavishes praise upon you in person, ask them if you can document their comments for a client testimonial. In fact, if time permits, write the testimonial in their presence so they can review it immediately. Again, very little hassle for either party.
- Write the testimonial yourself! Check out this article on what to do and how to do it.
- If you ask the client to write a testimonial, politely provide a deadline by saying something like, ‘Can I please have it by next Thursday because I’d like to use it for a promotion I have planned.’ Without a deadline, you might never receive that priceless testimonial.
- If the customer asks for guidance on what to write, encourage them to write about the most important message/s that you want to get across to prospective clients. For example, if you’re a plumber you could ask the person to include details about how you: arrived on time, solved the problem quickly, showed courtesy and professionalism, and left the place tidy.
Client testimonials are huge trust-builders that can make or break a sale, so include them in all your marketing material.
Do you think client testimonials are important or irrelevant? Has a client given you a testimonial that you’re proud of? If so, share it here.
“ We’ve all read client testimonials that look fabricated, and sadly, rather than creating trust, the testimonial creates distrust. ”
Lucinda Lions is a website copywriter who specialises in writing persuasively in order to turn browsers into buyers. She also loves conducting website assessments and revamping existing website copy.