I often talk to clients who are not comfortable requesting testimonials. They might feel that testimonials shouldn’t have to be forced, but that they should just come naturally. Sometimes you will get ready-made testimonials from clients, but for the most part, you’re going to have to ask clients to write out their thoughts.
The best time to ask for a testimonial is when a client is pleased with the work you’ve done for them—for example:
- When you’ve successfully completed a project.
- When your work has helped them get closer to solving a problem.
- When you have solved a problem for them.
- When they express that they’re happy with your work.
- When they thank you for your work.
- When you deliver your finished product.
When a client expresses that they’re pleased with your work, ask if you may share their story with your potential clients. If they say they have no problem with this, tell them that you will send an email requesting their testimonial.
Another good approach is to provide your clients with a survey form every time you complete a project, sell them something, or finish your work for them. Inform them that their participation is completely up to them, and that you might use anything they write as a testimonial.
You might also consider reaching out to people who have said positive things about your work in the past. Ask if you can use their email or verbal comments, and find out if they would like to add to or alter their initial feedback.
Testimonials that Get Clients
Testimonials are Social Proof that you are good at what you do. This social proof lets potential clients know you’ll provide the results you promised in your sales copy, marketing materials and conversations. This reassures them that they can TRUST you and helps them justify their purchases.
However, for a testimonial to motivate potential clients, it needs to say more than, “You Rock!” It must tell potential clients WHY you rock, and it needs to be in compliance with the new FTC Guidelines.
An effective testimonial describes the problem or difficulty that motivated a client to work with (or buy from) you and the result they achieved. The more specific and tangible the details, the better.
You want to make it easy for your clients to write testimonials, and it helps if they follow a specific format, so ask them a few questions to get answers that will help you get clients.
Discover:
I agree that testimonials are really important in how prospective clients evaluate choosing a life coach. At first, I too was uncomfortable asking. However, I soon realized that evoking perspective is what coaches do best. Asking for feedback is actually a necessary step in getting clear on whether our coaching is moving in the right direction. It also demonstrates coaching confidence in our capacity to receive feedback. I have also found that clients welcome the opportunity to share how our coaching relationship is inspiring new ways of thinking, feeling and choosing. If the review is a positive one, I acknowledge and thank the client for it and request permission for sharing. It seems to flow smoothly on both sides.
Wow! Talk about in tune with the heartbeat of the marketplace. I was just reading a snippet of “Outrageous Advertising”, a book by Bill Blazer on the importance of power testimonials and guidelines of how to best request and receive outrageously powerful testimonials from your clients. I was floored when I read your article covering the very same issue, except you went even deeper in not only discussing how to get powerful testimonials from your clients, but WHEN to ask for them… and get them.
Thanks so much Jennifer for the great article! As usual, you are always right on time.
Cindy Garrett,
CEO and Founder, Secrets of Heaven, dreamitCoaching
http://www.secretsofheaven.com
Great tips! I’ve been utilizing a survey based testimonial request for about a year now and it works very well. One tip I’d add though is to be prepared to do a lot of follow-up….my clients by nature get extremely busy after our projects complete so a polite reminder once in a while keeps the survey at the top of their to-do lists.
Thanks for sending me this article. I recently heard you through Wellcoaches. My business mind has been a bit down and discouraged lately and after hearing you and reading this article it is starting to wake from the dead!
I really like the idea of a survey as a way to solicit testimonials. I almost always have some paperwork that I am completing during the last meeting and this gives the client something to do while I am not engaged with them. It is also a great way to solicit feedback on the areas where I might need improvement.
Thanks for the interesting article, Jennifer! I know that the FTC rules have changed for email contact and for disclosing affiliate relationships, but can you elaborate more on what the FTC rules are for testimonials? Thank you!
Jennifer Nagel
Jennifer – Great topic for another blog post!
I am not an attorney, so take what I say with that in mind… but it is my understanding that testimonials need to be the “average” results that clients can expect to receive. So if you have a client who had amazingly stellar results, you can share that information by creating a case study with a clients “testimonial” wrapped up in the case study.
The idea is to make sure those that read it understand the circumstances in which the result was achieved.
Another great way to enable your client to offer a tesiamonial is through Linked In – if you know that they are a member. The format is simple for them to follow through.