My last client, who’s also a friend, asked me if I would like a testimonial. “Yes!”, I agreed whole heartedly. A testimonial is one of the best ways to build trust with your audience… and it’s free. I asked her to put it in Linked In, because I can’t add it there myself and I know a lot of potential clients might see it.
But consider other sites, such as Yelp or Zillow, or even where your client feels comfortable. Then copy the text and add it to your testimonial page on your website. Professionals recommend testimonials appear on your home page, scattered around the website or even on every page.
Here is a few reasons why testimonials are so powerful published by entrepreneur.com. These examples are for B2C product sites, but the same principles can be applied to B2B.
- Testimonials build trust.
Whether your customers are raving about what your product has done for them or about the great service you gave, they’re telling your visitors first and foremost that they had a positive experience with your products and company. - Testimonials aren’t “salesy.”
Because testimonials aren’t written in your “voice,” they stand out in your copy as candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product works. - Testimonials overcome skepticism.
A good testimonial has the power to convince even your “tough sell” visitors that your product or service really made a difference in your customer’s life–and can help them, too.
If your client doesn’t offer a testimonial as mine did, don’t hesitate to ask for one, especially if you think you did a good job and they seem to be pleased. They may send you a nice note for a job well done. That’s a good time to ask if you can use it or a longer testimonial for your business. Ask before they get onto another project and the glow has worn off. If you’re really lucky, you may be able to use a photo of the customer as well. That personalizes their testimony even more.
89% Effectiveness Rating
“A study found that customer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating in content marketing at 89%. This means that businesses that used testimonials or reviews somewhere in their marketing effectively reached and engaged more people compared to all other means of content”, states another expert.
Testimonials, used correctly, are authentic reviews of your service that build trust with your audience. Combine them with case studies if that works for your business. More on case studies in another blog post!