Testimonials inevitably fall to the bottom of the business owners to-do list.
When the day to day running of your business takes up all your time, seeking out recommendations from clients just feels like a job for another day. Plus, the mechanics of it are off-putting to some. How do I get over the embarrassment of asking for one, and what is the best way to use it?
But if you aren’t finding a way to shout from the rooftops about your best clients you are seriously missing a trick. In a digital world, we all look for testimonials before going with a company or product, so if you don’t have a digital testimonial footprint, it looks a bit ominous.
In this blog, I have a few different ways you can showcase just how brilliant you are.
Who are my best clients?
How often do you take time to stop and think about who your best clients are? It’s an interesting exercise and ideally one you should carry out at least once a year. As your business changes so will your ideal client.
You will have public and private reasons for giving a client this badge of honour.
Publicly, they are the ones that will rave about your business and the significant difference it has made to their lives. Privately, they may be the ones who you enjoy working for the most; who give you the opportunity to work on the things you love and are easy to communicate with. Or they may simply be the ones that pay on time!
More than testimonials
Now comes the interesting bit. There are a few different ways you can bring your clients’ testimonials to life, and deal with that awkward part of requesting their feedback.
In the end, it’s all about storytelling – how can you help prospective clients to identify with the stellar service your client has received and think “Yes! That’s what I need too!“
I have a number of clients that I have helped on this very thing.
Interviews
For some, I have carried out short interviews with their best clients and we have used these in newsletters, on social media and websites.
There are lots of advantages to outsourcing this process.
- I can probe more freely, and the individual often speaks more freely (removing that awkward bit). I can push for that really gushy stuff!
- As a relative outsider, my questioning may pick up on things that the business owner would take for granted.
- I always find that you get a very natural response from people when you chat to them rather than asking for a written testimonial.
During an interview, one client’s client said she was “evangelical” about the help she had received – you can’t really get better marketing than that!
Case studies
Another approach that has worked well is case studies.
This is the ultimate storytelling vehicle, so think of a client that has been on a journey with you, where you have really transformed something for them.
Pulling together
- background research,
- your view on the situation,
- and a quote from your client,
allows me to write a short, impactful piece that is perfect for sharing .
The aim is to trigger recognition in your prospective clients – sometimes they don’t know yet that they need you.
Re-purpose
And then you re-purpose, re-purpose, re-purpose!
This article by Luan Wise is a great place to start – a list of 20 things to do to re-purpose any material you publish, be it a blog or an article.
If you have some clients in mind that you think would be perfect for an interview or case study – send me an email and we can bring their story to life.