Testimonials: The Deep and Profound Appreciation of a Job Well Done

Your brand promise reflects your passion and fulfills the needs of your ideal client. But what happens when you go above and beyond that promise?

Imagine a client is standing in front of you with your favorite bouquet of flowers. Her eyes fill up with tears and you see the love she has for you. She steps forward to embrace you.

In her presence you feel cherished. She says “Prior to meeting you, I was a frustrated business coach. I loved my existing clients, but did not earn enough money to pay my bills with ease. I was is in burn out and emotional fatigue, knew my existing clients couldn’t afford a higher rate, and the thought of working with more people felt overwhelming.

I was tired of feeling inadequate about my finances, so I hired you. I was determined to find out what I needed to do to change my relationship with money in order to grow my business. You provided a safe place for me to give voice to my desires and concerns. You taught me how to create a buyer persona, buyer journey map and revenue strategy. I applied your strategies and as a result, I've tripled my income and am now surrounded by clients who absolutely love and appreciate me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me." 

You look into her eyes, and say “thank YOU for showing up, telling the truth and doing the work. Thank you for joining me on this journey.”

Let's take a few steps back and look more closely at this interaction. In her voice, you heard gratitude. As she shared the experience of working with you, you felt respected and valued. Her “testimonial” expresses deep and profound appreciation for your presence in her life. You feel deeply appreciated because of the acknowledgment that you are changing the world, one client at a time.

The reality is that testimonials are the bread and butter of any business. They provide social proof that your products or services are worth investing in. And, more importantly, they communicate the deep and profound appreciation of a job well done.

So, what is stopping you from asking clients for a testimonial?

It could be something as simple as not knowing where to start.

Here are some questions to consider:

• What would your ideal client say about you? 

• Who among your clients has had a positive experience working with you or using your products or services? 

• How can you support your clients in expressing their experience of working with you?

• What is the best way to receive a testimonial (audio, video, written) from your client that expresses how you've made an impact on his/her life? 

• How can you incorporate their testimonial onto your website, or inside of your marketing copy and sales conversations?

A powerful strategy for collecting high quality testimonials is to ask your clients what they value most about working with you or using your products or services. This creates an opportunity for clients to tell their story and share the transformation they experienced during your time together.

The questions above can also be used in a pre-call interview, so that by the time you start writing their testimonial, it is already written up as a blog post on your website.

Here are some questions to ask your clients: 

• What was it like working with me and/or using my products or services?

• How has working with me changed your life (and why is that important)? 

• Who do you think could benefit from my services? Why?

• What would you say to your family, friends and colleagues about working with me? 

Ask for their permission to share the testimonial on your website, marketing copy and sales conversations. Then ask if they know anyone else who could benefit from working with you or using your products. Once you have shared their testimonial in the places previously mentioned, ask if they would be OK with you sending them an email to let them know.

If you are a coach and work one-on-one with clients, I recommend asking for testimonials after each coaching session. If your client has products or services that she uses in her business, schedule a time to meet where you can do a recorded testimonial video or audio.

The bottom line is that if you want to increase the number of high-quality referrals and testimonials you receive, start by asking your clients how you've made an impact on their lives. When they see that you are changing the world, one client at a time, they will be more than happy to share their experience.

How to Ask For a Testimonial without guilt, shame or embarrassment

Document their progress. Ask them to write down how the experience of working with you made them feel. Next, write down what they know now that they did not know prior to working with you. Finally, what can they now achieve to accomplish with ease as a result of your work together?

3 Tips To Remember when asking for a testimonial

When it comes to testimonials, specificity trumps generalities. So, make sure to get specific about the outcomes your client achieved.

For example, “I was able to lose weight and feel great” is a much more compelling testimonial than “I liked the program.” As you can see, specificity makes all the difference!

Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Probing for testimonials is an art form, so make sure to ask insightful and open-ended questions about the client's experience. For example, instead of asking “Do you like working with me?” try asking, “What have been your favorite moments working with me?”

Make sure to ask for permission before using a testimonial. Always get written consent from your clients before posting their comments online or sharing them in other marketing materials. This will help protect you both legally and reputationally.

When it comes to getting testimonials from your clients, the key is to focus on making it a priority.

By doing so, you will have more than enough testimonials to share with others and use in your marketing materials!

This was just a small sampling of what I teach my clients about how to get great testimonials from their clients.  If you want to get more testimonials from your clients and effectively use them in your marketing materials, be sure to make a habit out of asking for them.

Try these tips the next time you are asking for a testimonial. And remember if it doesn't feel right don't do it. You have nothing to lose by not asking but everything to gain by getting great testimonials from your clients.