5 Creative Ways to Get Customer Testimonials (even if you don’t have a lot of clients)

Testimonials. You know you need them but how do you collect great testimonials?

Especially when you’re just getting started in your business.

Getting testimonials is easier than you might think. If you’re not sure how, check out these 5 creative strategies.

What is a testimonial

A testimonial is essentially a recommendation based on your client’s experience with your program, and the results they achieved.

Client testimonials can be in written format or video. Written testimonials are more popular, but video testimonials can be more effective. It’s great to have a mix since people take in information differently.

They should be honest, relatable, and talk about how your program delivers on its big promise.??

Why testimonials are important

Customers trust other customers. Great testimonials help establish your credibility and show that your program actually delivers.

In fact, 92% of customers new read online reviews before making a purchase. And 44% say that a review must be written recently to be relevant.

Testimonials impact your conversion rates dramatically. Research shows that positive testimonials can increase your sales page conversion rates by 35%.

One more reason you should collect customer testimonials is you’ll also get information on what’s not going well with your program. This is valuable feedback and will help you continue improving your program and deliver even better client results.

5 strategies to get customer testimonials

1.? ? ? Reach out to customers by email

2.? ? ? Use messages received from clients

3.? ? ? Interview your clients

4.? ? ? Help your clients with the writing

5.? ? ? Check out comments on your blog

If you want to get testimonials from your customers, you need to ask. Let’s look at 5 creative approaches you can start using right away to collect testimonials.

Reach out to customers by email

Email is a great way to ask for customer testimonials. One of the biggest advantages to this method is you can target only clients who have completed your program. You can also easily keep track of who you’ve asked for a testimonial.

When asking for testimonials by email, you should create a template for your clients to use and attach it to your message. This makes it easier for your customer to provide the testimonial and also guides them in what information to include.

Use messages received from clients

Another option is to use the messages you receive from clients. It’s not unusual for customers to message you on social media to let you know how they’re doing in your program. Those messages can be used as testimonials.

Be sure to ask their permission before publishing this type of testimonial on your website. I’ve never had a client refuse but it’s a good idea to make sure they know their name and picture will be on your site.

Interview your clients

If you’re collecting video testimonials, this is the method that is going to work best for you. Your clients will be much more comfortable having a conversation with you than recording their own video.

The key is to ask open-ended questions, so they feel free to answer you in their own words and with as much detail as they like.

If your business is just getting started and you don’t have a lot of clients, your customers are much more likely to get on a video call with you than they are to provide a written testimonial.

Help your clients with the writing

You know that feeling when you need to write something, and you end up just staring at the blank screen? That’s exactly how some of your clients feel when you ask for a testimonial.

They may have had great results and be very willing to give you a positive testimonial, but they don’t know what to say.

You can help by creating a testimonial form that guides them through a series of questions. Then you can pick out the responses that are best. And if you get negative feedback, you can address those issues as well.

Check out comments on your blog

If blogging is part of your marketing strategy, you can find some treasures in the comments section of your blog posts.

While comments are often specific to the blog post you’ve written, sometimes you can find great reviews and/or testimonials. You can take a screenshot of the whole comment and be sure to add some context when you add it to your testimonials page.

FAQ

What does a good customer testimonial look like?

Testimonials are best when they are brief, relatable, and authentic. They shouldn’t be any longer than a couple of paragraphs. And they should use words and phrases that resonate with your ideal client.

Do I need permission to use a customer testimonial?

It’s a good idea to let your customers know if you are using their testimonial and where, especially if you include a photo or other personal information.

Do customer testimonials work?

Yes. Research shows that 88% of customers trust online testimonials equal to recommendations from friends and family.

Where should I use customer testimonials on my website?

Testimonials add credibility to you and your program, which increases sales and conversions. It makes sense to build out a testimonial page on your site as well as using testimonials on your sales and checkout pages.

Final Thoughts

Testimonials are a powerful marketing tool that can help you increase sales and grow your business.

Now that you know how to get testimonials and use them on your website, you can start using them to your advantage.

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