People are more likely to believe information on your website if it is supported by a testimonial.
If you're looking to increase the credibility of your services and products, gather testimonials from your clients.
Not only will this add credibility to your work, but it will also help attract new customers overtime.
However, you want to collect great testimonials from your customers. You want to avoid the general nice touchy-feely types. These may be great for the soul, but they carry no weight. You want some why, what, when or problem, solution and outcome messages coming from the testimonials.
We are big fans of the Survey approach as you can use the collected content to help craft a testimonial which you can get the client to approve. This makes it easier and beneficial for everyone. You get the testimonial you want, and the client doesn’t have to dream up a wishy-washy testimonial for you.
7 questions for your survey you need to ask.
- What was the biggest challenge you had before pursuing our services/ products?
- How did that problem make you feel, before using our services?
- What has changed after using our services/ products?
- Are there any specific results or outcomes you can share after using our services/ products?
- What would you say to somebody who has a similar problem or challenge, before you use our services/products?
- Do you have anything else you can provide for feedback?
- Do you grant permission for us to feature your business and names in a testimonial in our marketing materials, upon approval?
Turning the survey into a great Testimonial
The secret ingredients to a great testimonial is getting to the source of the problem your client had before they came to see you, the solution you provided to their problem and what the successful outcomes of your solution to their problem.
Within the Answers provided in your survey. You should be able to extract problems, solutions and outcomes to craft great testimonials which you can pass onto the client for approval before posting on your website and using in your marketing.
Example
“Before working with James, I’d felt our business website was missing opportunities and wasn’t representing the direction of the business. James and his team helped create a design and plan to align our website with our business goals. Within a few months of going live, our new site is ranking for key terms for our business, and it is generating fresh new leads for our business. The website is working for us now against us.”
Use the first two questions from the survey to identify your client's problems. Make sure the problem is clear. You want potential new clients to read this and say “yes” that is the problem I have.
Our next step is to move to the solution and how your product or service, was the solution your customers were looking for when they came to you.
For the final step
The goal is now to tie the testimonial off with what success looks like for your customer, how the problem has been fixed, and if there are any positive outcomes. You want potential customers to read and say yes, that is what I want, it's how I want to feel etc.
