Home Web Marketing How to Get More Testimonials from Your Customers

How to Get More Testimonials from Your Customers

by amol238

Customer Testimonials

Testimonials play an important role in helping your company grow. The simple truth is most online customers just don’t trust your business. It’s nothing personal, but consumers are just wary of online companies that they don’t really know all that well. As a result, it’s your job to do everything you can to ease their concerns and show them how trustworthy you really are.

That’s where testimonials can help. Testimonials are reviews from satisfied customers that basically talk about how great your company really is. Studies have shown that customers don’t trust your brand and are likelier to believe their fellow customers recommendations than businesses. In other words, testimonials can help you earn the trust of potentials customers.

This leads us to our next point. How do you get testimonials? Here are some easy tactics you can put to use to start earning more testimonials from your customers.

  • Provide great service every timeβ€”No customer is going to give you a testimonial if your services or products are just averageβ€”or even worse, below average. If you want someone to give you a genuine endorsement, you have to really earn it. The best way to do this is to be consistently great. You need to go above and beyond the customer’s expectations every time. There’s no room for slipping up or being average. Greatness is required at all times.
  • Know when to ask for the testimonialβ€”There’s a time and a place for asking for the testimonial. You don’t want to ask for it right away before you’ve even delivered on your products or services. And you don’t want to ask for it while billing the client. You need to ask for it after you’ve delivered and the customer is happy.
  • Catch them when you see themβ€”You may already have potential testimonials without even realizing it. Clients say things in passing all the time, in conversations , emails, social networks, etc. Be on the lookout for these testimonial opportunities, and record them. However, always ask the client if you can use the quote before posting testimonials on your website and other marketing collateral.
  • Solicit feedback at the end of projectsβ€”Don’t feel comfortable asking for a testimonial outright? That’s okay. Another thing you can do is have a feedback process at the end of your projects. Surveys and feedback forms can be sent to customers to get their thoughts on their experience with your company. This is a non-pushy way to get more testimonials for your company.

What makes a good testimonial?

Not all testimonials are created equal. There are certain characteristics that make for a great testimonial.

  • It’s believable. If the testimonial is over the top and sounds way too good to be true, no one is going to believe it. The testimonial should sound authentic and genuine. Check out the testimonials in the comments section on the Thesis Theme Discount blog
  • It includes a photo or video of the customer. Text-only testimonials seem fake and made up. When there is a picture to go with the testimonial or the testimonial is recorded on video, customers can see the person making the recommendation, and it just feels more real.
  • It is specific. A great testimonial contains lots of specifics and important details about exactly why the customer likes your products and services so much.

What are some other techniques you’ve used for getting testimonials?

Image Credit: Dream Cars

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10 comments

Uzi July 17, 2010 - 5:23 pm

Should we ask for testimonials in a newsletter?

Reply
Colleen July 17, 2010 - 6:39 pm

Nice article Chris. We need more testimonials and you’ve given be a kick in the butt to got out an get them. I think I simply need to be more proactive and simply ask, as I have enough customers who would be very happy to give a testimonial. Candid videos are the best, IMHO. πŸ™‚

Reply
Property Marbella July 17, 2010 - 11:35 pm

It’s so true and important. We know that because we have found out that over 70% of our sales come from word-of-mouth recommendations and in our last web site did we have a page with clients testimonials with photos and people recognise friends and asked them about us.

Reply
Dev - Technshare.com July 18, 2010 - 1:43 am

Hey Chirs,

Nice Post. Getting Testimonials is really awesome idea.
Newsletter is my favorite way to ask for testimonials.

Thanks for sharing this great Post.

~Dev

Reply
SEO: Top Commenter July 18, 2010 - 8:45 pm

LinkedIn also has a great engine for soliciting them. Don’t forget that the best way to get this is to ask.

Reply
Sun Storage July 18, 2010 - 10:56 pm

Getting good feedback from customers is basically depends on the product and services you are providing. So, just make your product so popular, you will definitely get lots of customers.

Reply
Perennial Gardens July 20, 2010 - 2:44 pm

Thanks for the informative article – I’ll try to implement some of these ideas.

Reply
Rick Hanson July 25, 2010 - 3:51 am

When a customer has sent me an email with some nice comments i have asked if i could publish this on my website (i have 1 page for testimonials) and mostly they say yes. In return they get a backlink from my testimonial page.

Reply
increase traffic August 10, 2010 - 6:50 am

The golden rule should always be implemented to get good testimonials from customers. Always do your best to impress them and I’m sure you will get good response from them.

Reply
Credit Card Processing August 12, 2011 - 6:06 pm

Getting good feedback from customers is basically depends on the product and services you are providing. So, just make your product so popular, you will definitely get lots of customers.

Reply

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