Learn how to get POWERFUL client testimonials (without the awkwardness)
Co-authored by Meg Cumby (who specializes in social proof for freelancers and consultants) and Kai Davis. You can download a PDF of this guide right here (in exchange for your email address).
Testimonials are an excellent piece of social proof — a way to build credibility and trust with prospective clients.
But testimonials typically don’t just come flying at you on their own. You have to be intentional about asking your client for their feedback on their experience working with you.
While it may not seem like much, asking for feedback lets you uncover:
- What your client’s hesitations were before working with you
- How the client benefited from your service
- If your client would recommend your services to others
- And much, much more.
With a few steps, you can turn pieces of customer feedback into powerful testimonials that support the benefits of your services, and directly address objections that future customers may raise.
No matter how you collect client feedback, making sure the questions you ask focus on the business outcomes you’ve helped the client achieve and the objections the client had before working with you will help you build a powerful testimonial.
That’s because you want your testimonials to speak directly to prospective clients, and tell them how you’ll help improve their businesses.
The number one lesson you should take away from this guide? The questions you ask to get a testimonial — and the habit of regularly asking for a testimonial — are incredibly important.
You need a regular, repeatable process to go through, where you follow-up with a client and solicit their feedback on the benefits of your work together. That’s exactly what this guide teaches. Here’s what Kim Lifton has to share about her experience with this material.
"You give a ton of solid info at no cost. I have been struggling with getting testimonials, and how to use them. So we've been sending out emails, asking two simple questions. And guess what, it works? If we don't ask, we don't get. Our third book comes out in a few weeks, and we have 5 amazing testimonials from happy customers on the back. You helped my small company feel good about asking for what we want. Thank you."
— Kim Lifton, President, Wow Writing WorkshopAfter reading this guide, you’ll understand:
- Why and how testimonials will help your business (and why it’s more important to talk about your client and their business than yourself).
- What makes a strong testimonial, what makes a weak testimonial, and how to upgrade your testimonials from weak to strong.
- The different ‘shapes’ and forms that testimonials can take.
- Why you should ask for testimonials, instead of waiting for them to come to you.
- How to ask for a testimonial (it’s easier than you think).
- When it’s the best time to ask (hint: it isn’t necessarily once the project is complete).
- The specific questions you can ask a client to generate a strong testimonial.
- How to decide between asking the questions through an interview or in writing.
- What you should do if a client goes non-responsive after agreeing to give you a testimonial.
- How you can get the best possible results-focused testimonials.
- How you can leverage testimonials in your work.
Chapter Index
- Chapter 1: Why and how do testimonials help your business?
- Chapter 2: Why should you ask your clients for testimonials (instead of waiting for them to come to you)?
- Chapter 3: What forms can a testimonial take? (at least six!)
- Chapter 4: How to make asking for a testimonial easier by setting expectations
- Chapter 5: What questions should you ask to get a testimonial from a client?
- Chapter 6: What if a client goes non-responsive after agreeing to participate in a testimonial?
- Chapter 7: How can you leverage testimonials in your work?
- Chapter 8: How to put together the best possible (results-focused) testimonials
- Chapter 9: What are your next steps? Here’s an action plan to get great testimonials from your clients.
Want help getting testimonials from your clients (without the awkwardness)?
Meg has done-for-you testimonial services available to make it easier for you to get powerful testimonials. Check them out here.
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