A compliment is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only are compliments free, but they can bring thousands of dollars into your business when you transform them into testimonials. Quote someone as saying that you were worth every penny or you helped them double their income and you’ve just increased your chances of your next sale.
“More than 50% of my clients tell me they’re so nervous about asking for testimonials that they avoid it altogether,” says veteran brand strategist and former copywriter Lori Reeves. “But a great testimonial can not only get you a discovery call but also prime the pump before you hop on the phone with a potential client.”
Ready to make sure you never leave any money on the table and capture every revenue-generating piece of praise you can? Follow Reeves’ advice for collecting a treasure trove of testimonials starting today.
1. Think Beyond Your Client Base
If you’re just starting out, collecting incredible testimonials can feel like a catch-22. How will you get someone to pay for your services if you can’t get testimonials, because you haven’t had anyone pay for your services yet? But there’s no law that says every testimonial must be from a person who paid to work with you.
2. Ask The Right Questions
If you want great testimonials then you have to ask great questions. To that point, Reeves recommends avoiding broad questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. (Think, “Would you recommend me to friends and family?” or “Did you benefit from our work together?”)
3. Don’t Wait Until The End Of The Process
Most people send a feedback form to their clients at the end of the process and try to pull testimonial quotes from there. But Reeves recommends asking your clients for feedback along the way so that you have testimonials that speak to each stage of the process.
4. Pull From Various Formats
“You don’t always have to use a feedback form to collect testimonials,” says Reeves. “See someone praising your work and methods on Facebook? Take a screenshot. Got an email from a client gushing about how confident they feel working with you? Save it. See someone slide into your Instagram DMs with praise? Capture it.
5. Never Stop At Just Three Or Four
“Think about how you yourself evaluate products according to reviews or ratings. Would you rather see hundreds of reviews or just a handful?,” says Reeves. “‘There’s strength in numbers’ became a cliche for a reason.”
Even if you don’t have really long or elaborate testimonials from many people, as long as you have a higher number of them, that can tip the scale for you when it comes to selling your services. The more the merrier for your business’s bottom line.