According to many sales statistics, over 85% of consumers rely on reviews and testimonials to determine the quality of a product or service. That’s huge. Think about it—when you’re deciding on a purchase, don’t you ask around to friends and family to see if they’ve had a good experience, or read up on reviews online? I know I do!
There are so many services on the internet today, that it’s easy for yours to get lost in the mix—even if it’s amazing and your sales message is presented in the most effective way. Your potential client is smart—and they know that your website is has been carefully crafted to reflect all the best aspects of you and your business. This is okay, of course! You’re trying to get their attention. Just be aware that your clever future client might not actually trust you. And this is crucial, ya’ll.
It’s all good though, because you know what they will trust? An objective, outside perspective from someone that’s tried and loved your services. So while testimonials may seem like just a small token of appreciation from a client or a nice addition to your website, they’re pure gold for your business. Are you using your testimonials effectively? Don’t worry; you know I have some tips for you!
- Authenticity!
This word comes to mind immediately. I told you, your prospect is smart. Even if you’re tempted to polish or cut down your testimonials, don’t bother. Let your customer tell their story in their own language. It will only add to their trust.
- Choose the best ones you got
When wading through your testimonials, pick ones that actually give insight on what the client gained, how your services helped, and what others can expect. You want these as specific and detailed as possible. Comments like “Great services!” or “I couldn’t believe how much this helped!” don’t really separate you from your competitors. They see that stuff all day long. You want your testimonials to provide your prospects with concrete evidence of what you can do for them. The more juicy details, figures, and statistics, the better! Even better yet—try to gain testimonials that show how your coaching services can overcome their objections. If there’s a reason that someone may not want to purchase your product, use a testimonial that showcases why this doesn’t need to be a problem. For example, if your services require a big time commitment, chose a testimonial that explains how your product was “worth their time,” specifically.
- Feature a bunch
Now that you know what separates a good testimonial from a not-so-good one, chose a couple! You want to offer your visitors the opportunity to identify with your clients. By featuring a few different customers and their stories, they can actually find one that they identify with. This is another reason why it’s important to understand your target market. By knowing who your ideal clients are, you can choose testimonials that will resonate with them, not just high-profile ones.
That’s not always the case; great testimonial selection comes down to: 1) understanding your target market; and 2) picking past customers who are representative of it.
If your target markets are mostly small business owners, focus on collecting testimonials from small business owners. Don’t get “star struck” with high-profile customers.
- Don’t feel limited to the testimonial page
Having a page on your website dedicated to testimonials is a necessity, but don’t think you’re limited to just showing them off there. Get creative. Feature your customers’ comments on the sidebars of different pages of your website. And definitely add them to your social media feeds. These platforms give you access to so many prospects, and that way, if they don’t find them on your website, they’re guaranteed to read them somewhere.