How can you use testimonials to build your Thought Leadership?

1 Choose the right testimonials

Not all testimonials are created equal. You want to choose testimonials that are relevant, specific, and authentic. Relevant testimonials are from people who are similar to your ideal audience, who have similar challenges, goals, and needs, and who can relate to your message and offer. Specific testimonials are from people who can describe how you helped them solve a problem, achieve a goal, or improve a situation, and who can provide concrete details and outcomes. Authentic testimonials are from people who are genuine, honest, and enthusiastic, and who can convey their emotions and experiences in a natural and engaging way.

2 Showcase your testimonials

Once you have collected some testimonials, you need to showcase them in the right places and ways. You want to use testimonials across different communication channels, such as your website, blog, social media, email, podcast, video, or webinar. You also want to use testimonials in different formats, such as text, audio, video, or images. The key is to match the testimonial to the channel and format that best suits your audience's preferences, behaviors, and expectations. For example, you might use a video testimonial on your website to capture attention and create an emotional connection, or you might use a text testimonial on your email to reinforce a call to action or an offer.

3 Ask for feedback

Testimonials are not only useful for building your thought leadership, but also for improving it. You can use testimonials as a source of feedback to learn more about your audience's needs, wants, and pain points, and to identify areas of improvement or opportunity. You can also use testimonials as a way to engage your audience and encourage them to share their opinions, questions, and suggestions. You can ask for feedback in different ways, such as sending a survey, requesting a review, inviting a conversation, or creating a poll. The key is to make it easy, convenient, and rewarding for your audience to give you feedback.

4 Use testimonials wisely

Testimonials are not a magic bullet that will automatically make you a thought leader. You need to use testimonials wisely and strategically, and avoid some common pitfalls. For example, you don't want to use too many testimonials that might overwhelm or bore your audience, or too few testimonials that might raise doubts or questions. You also don't want to use fake or misleading testimonials that might damage your reputation or credibility, or irrelevant or outdated testimonials that might confuse or mislead your audience. You also don't want to use testimonials without permission or attribution that might violate ethical or legal standards, or disrespect or offend your clients or customers.

5 Update your testimonials

Testimonials are not static or permanent. They are dynamic and evolving, and you need to update them regularly to keep them fresh and relevant. You want to update your testimonials to reflect your current offerings, achievements, and goals, and to align with your audience's changing needs, interests, and expectations. You also want to update your testimonials to showcase your latest clients, customers, or partners, and to highlight your most recent results, outcomes, or impacts. You also want to update your testimonials to incorporate new feedback, insights, or trends, and to adapt to new communication channels, formats, or styles.

6 Test your testimonials

Testimonials are not one-size-fits-all. They are context-dependent and audience-specific, and you need to test them to see what works best for your thought leadership. You want to test your testimonials to measure their effectiveness, performance, and impact, and to optimize them for your goals, objectives, and metrics. You also want to test your testimonials to compare different options, variations, or combinations, and to find the optimal mix of testimonials for your strategy, message, and offer. You also want to test your testimonials to learn from your successes, failures, and feedback, and to improve your thought leadership continuously.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?