To grow your audience, let your current followers speak for you! Showcasing real testimonials from happy customers is one of the most effective ways to build trust. It’s more powerful than numbers alone, with research showing that:
72% of customers say positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business.
88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.
Public relations expert Dawna Jarvis highlights that testimonials act as a "bridge of trust," connecting potential clients to your business. Here’s how you can start gathering and leveraging testimonials effectively:
1. Ask Directly and Sincerely
When wrapping up a project, reach out to satisfied clients for feedback. Please don’t wait for them to offer; ask proactively. Business strategist Jordan McAuley recommends being transparent: explain why the testimonial is valuable for your business and encourage them to mention their projects or brands.
Actionable Step: Send a follow-up message after a project, thanking clients and asking for feedback. Keep it simple and considerate, and suggest they share it on your preferred review platform.
2. Turn Unprompted Feedback into Testimonials
Sometimes, clients share positive feedback unprompted. Capture these moments by encouraging them to turn their praise into a formal testimonial. Use tools like Google Alerts to monitor mentions of your business online so you don’t miss out on positive feedback that isn’t shared directly with you.
Actionable Step: Whenever you receive a compliment, thank the client and ask if they’d be willing to share it on your website or social media page. Include a direct link to make it easy.
3. Simplify the Process for Clients
To get effective testimonials, keep the process easy and specific. Ask questions that guide clients to reflect on their experience, such as:
What was your biggest challenge before working with us?
How did our solution make you feel?
What specific results can you share?
Actionable Step: Create a template with these questions and share it with clients when requesting a testimonial.
4. Feature Testimonials Everywhere
Make testimonials a visible part of your marketing strategy. Place them on your website, social media, email newsletters, and even in ads. Videos and images featuring clients’ real words can create a stronger connection with potential clients. For example, Dawna Jarvis suggests turning testimonials into mini-stories to help potential clients envision their own success.
Actionable Step: Select your most impactful testimonials and design them into branded images or videos to share across all platforms, from social media posts to website banners.
5. Use Testimonials for Feedback and Improvement
Feedback isn’t just praise; it can help you improve. Pay attention to any suggestions within testimonials to keep your offerings aligned with your client’s needs. As Dawna mentions, testimonials can attract quality partnerships as well. Brands want to work with highly respected businesses in their field, and positive testimonials help boost that reputation.
Actionable Step: Set up regular client feedback reviews and adjust your services or offerings accordingly. Use positive testimonials as talking points when negotiating with brand partners or sponsors.
Final Tip: Take Your Testimonials to the Next Level with Video
Research shows that videos are shared 12 times more than text and images combined. Encourage clients to give video testimonials, which are especially engaging and easy for potential clients to relate to.
Actionable Step: Offer clients a simple recording option (even a quick smartphone video!) and ask them to share their story in a short, candid clip. Post these on your social media, YouTube, or your website for maximum impact.
For building trust and credibility, testimonials are invaluable. Start by requesting authentic feedback, sharing it strategically across platforms, and using it to refine your offerings. With testimonials, you’re not just growing your audience—you’re building a loyal community.
Looking to build trust and showcase your clients' success stories? Contact us to explore how we can help you create a powerful library of testimonial videos, giving you authentic, relatable content to use across all your digital channels. Let’s work together to turn customer satisfaction into compelling social proof that resonates with your audience.
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