Testimonials: A Powerful and Free Marketing Strategy

Testimonials are one of the most valuable and cost-effective marketing tools you can have for your business, but only if you follow two important rules. 1) Get the testimonial, and 2) Use the testimonial. The good news is: they are easy to get. All you have to do is ask.

Think of the clients you've had a great working experience with over the past year, and ask for a testimonial. Send them an email with the following request:

"Hey Bill – I know you've mentioned that you've really enjoyed working with me, and I've sure enjoyed the relationship too! Would you mind giving me a short blurb I could use in some of my marketing, so that others can get a feel for the service that I offer? I know your time is valuable, so I really appreciate it – thank you!"

Because it's in email form already, they are likely to take a minute to fire off a quick response to you on the spot. If you don't have their email address, then just give them a call and ask...but make it easy for them. Let them know that you'd be happy to type it up for them if they wouldn't mind giving you a line or two. Ask questions like, "What did you like the best about our experience together?" "What do you remember the most?" "What would you tell your friends or family about me?" then jot some lines down as you talk. Be sure to ask for their email address – which you really should have already – and send it to them for approval. ALWAYS make sure to ask permission to use their comments "in complete or edited form," as well as their name and city.

If you're just getting started in your industry and don't have a wealth of past clients to call on, ask your peers, your manager, or your mentor to write a short personal endorsement. You'll want to replace them with client testimonials once you have them, but in the meantime, any testimonial is better than no testimonial!

To avoid this process altogether, be sure that, from here on out, every time a client makes a great comment about your service, ask them on the spot. "Wow, that would make such a great testimonial line for me! Would you mind if I write that down and attribute it to you?" Then make the notes right away, so you get an accurate reflection of what they said. Additionally, consider building in an evaluation form for your clients to complete at the closing or after an important meeting.

So, now that you have the testimonials, how do you use them? You should have testimonials in all of your marketing. This includes on your website, on your personal brochure, in your presentation materials, and even posted in your office. You can include testimonials on the bottom of your letters and email correspondence. If there is a particularly good story of how you helped someone solve a particular problem, worked through a difficult issue, or really helped them make their dreams come true, don't be afraid to send a postcard or letter out to your database highlighting the story. Once you get in the habit of asking for the testimonial, you'll be surprised at how many you get, and how easy it is to get this powerful, free marketing strategy working for you.

And don't forget, if I can be of any assistance to you or your clients at this time, please don't hesitate to contact me right away.