Testimonials influence buying decisions across nearly every industry and are a very valuable asset to have in your company’s portfolio. They can really make a difference in who does and doesn’t trust your company to handle clients’ business. Yet many businesses ask for testimonials in the wrong way. They ask too early, too vaguely, too often, or in ways that make clients feel uncomfortable and bothered. When done carefully and thoughtfully, testimonials become a natural part from delivering real value.
Let’s take a look at some of the better ways to gain those ever-valuable testimonials. Below are the right ways to ask for testimonials—professionally, confidently, and without friction.
1. Ask at the Moment of Maximum Value – But Give Them Time!
The best time to ask is quickly as possible after the client experiences a clear win. “Get ‘em while they’re hot!” is a way to think of it. The longer you or your clients wait, the cooler their enthusiasm for their experience with your business becomes. This is why you need to ask when your clients are the most satisfied and ready to share. For example, you can say, “Thank you! I’m really happy that you appreciate my work. If you can, it would really mean a lot for a few moments right now to share your impressions while they’re fresh.” Remember though, don’t be “pushy” while waiting for testimonials. Responders should never feel pressured to respond. It’s OK to follow up as a “friendly reminder” if they don’t reply after say, 4 days to a week, but repeated requests can become annoying and even cause friction. People get busy, they get sidetracked, and you must be respectful of their time. After all, their priorities are not the same as yours, and a review of their experiences with you can suffer if they start thinking of you as a nuisance. If they say “no” or they don’t respond at all, let it be. There may be good reasons why they don’t and/or it may be just a matter of time and convenience for them, but being overly persistent can be a big turn-off. It may take a while sometimes, but they’re well worth the wait!
Examples:
• A consultant asks right after a strategy created for his/her client increases revenue or reduces costs for the client. The client agrees to but mentions that he/she has important business to attend to or that they’ll be unavailable for a time. The consultant is patient, respectful and follows up if the client doesn’t respond within a few days. Getting no response after two weeks, the company sends a follow up to remind the client to respond and finds out that the client has been on vacation and is just returning. A week later, the client sends a glowing review.
• A contractor asks for a review immediately after final inspection and client walkthrough approval. The contractor mentions to the client that there is a brief survey at the end of other business paperwork the contractor is providing so that the client has and sees it while looking through other important papers. The contractor patiently waits for the client who is more likely to respond while the survey is in sight while working on other related documents.
• A SAAS (Software as a Service) company asks for a testimonial after successfully onboarding a client or when the client adopts a particular feature. The company immediately sends an E-mailed short survey that includes a place for comments and “submit” button at the end.
2. Be Specific About What You Are Asking For
Specific prompts lead to meaningful testimonials instead of vague praise. Tell your clients what you would like them to talk about. Simply asking them to “say something nice” is too general. Ask them to describe specifically WHAT they liked and WHY, and HOW it helped them. Being shy or too general might only cause clients to respond with “fluffy” praise that really doesn’t show or give solid reasons why others will want to work with you, too!
Examples:
• A marketing agency asks their client to talk about how their lead volume changed before and after engagement and why working with you made the difference.
• A healthcare provider asks how your daily routines or outcomes improved because of what their company did for them.
• A training company asks their clients to describe which skills or actions affected their performance the most and specifically in what ways.
3. Make It Easy and Low-Effort
If the request feels like work, clients will delay or avoid responding. If you ask for too much or something that takes a lot of time and effort, you won’t get much of a response or it may be pushed to the side.
Examples:
• A B2B (Business to Business) firm sends three short questions via E-mail. This lets the respondents easily and quickly answer your questions and they can return their responses in the same E-mail chain.
• A retail business provides a one-click review link. There can be a link to a short, 2 – 3 question survey with multiple choice responses, and a space for free-flow comments.
• A coach drafts a testimonial for quick approval or edits. This makes it much easier for the ones reviewing it by already giving them a framework without having to think of what to say, and they can easily change or add to the document as they see fit.
4. Explain How the Testimonial Will Be Used
Transparency removes hesitation and builds trust. It’s important to tell them clearly and up front what you will do with their responses, and to be sure they have no objections. Always ask permission to include pictures or videos of their happiness with their experiences with you. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words”!
Examples:
• A Professional services firm explains how and where testimonials will appear in their proposals.
• Retail brands explain to reviewers how and where their reviews appear on company websites or publications.
• Consultants explain the importance of their clients giving testimonials to help future clients make decisions. The consultant makes their clients aware of how much their comments will make a difference and how you value what they say.
5. Always Thank Them—and Mean It
A testimonial is a favor and should be treated as such. If you ask for responses in a routine, uninterested way, they’ll probably respond that way – if they do at all. Instead, sincerely show that you are grateful for their time and effort. Be sincere because people can spot a “phony”.
Examples:
• Sending a personalized “thank-you” message after publication means a lot. It shows you care that the responder took the time to give their review and that you made the effort to acknowledge them.
• Highlighting the client’s business when sharing publicly. One good favor from them deserves a show of appreciation from you, and what a better way than to mutually promote them as well?
• Maintain the relationship without asking for more. Don’t “ghost” someone who praises you. It can make your clients feel “used” – that you only wanted to get a good review. You don’t have to be their new best friend but keeping in touch now and then can keep a client aware of and interested in future opportunities to work with you again. A positive relationship can also lead to bringing business from their referrals.
To Sum It Up
When you ask at the right time, guide the response, use limited appropriate follow-up and patience, avoid friction and show real appreciation, testimonials stop feeling like an ask and start reflecting on the quality of your work. Remember that clients are doing you a big favor and they don’t really have to! Your clients’ opinions are often critical parts of what other potential clients look for when deciding to work with you, so receiving them is something to really value! Always use testimonials as a measure of what you can improve on, too, to make the next ones even better!
If you would like help building testimonials into your sales and marketing process, reach out to us here. Meetings and Events – Accomplished! is ready to help you ask and get the testimonials you’re looking for.
So how do YOU get your testimonials? Are they working for you? How have they helped your business? Leave your comments below, give us a “Like”, and subscribe to our blog (we promise – spam-free!). We’d really love to hear from you!
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