How to Get Testimonials and Reviews from Clients and Customers
Proof-based marketing sparks buyer order conversion
When 84% of web visitors trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, it’s time to focus on doing more of this kind of proof-based marketing.
While coaches and consultants have deeper connections with clients, ecommerce retail and SaaS firms can still personalize requests for reviews.
Collect Low-hanging Reviews
Neil Patel suggests perusing your Facebook Business page or LinkedIn recommendations first. Grab reviews from your Google My Business page (if you don’t have one, get it for free here).
Give First
When you can, post a review of a client’s book, product or service. Send a note with a screenshot of it and how, if they’d like, to return the favor. For instance, they might post a review on their site or review your book or products on Amazon or other review sites.
Make It Easy
Today, there’s a plethora of choices, both for asking for recommendations and for receiving endorsements.
📨 Email 📹 Video
📬 Snail mail ⭐ Review on their site or others
📱 Social media 📳 SMS
Most requests may go out through email for all SMEs, but when bandwidth permits, the personal note by snail mail may be more successful that an email blast.
✉ Send a thank you and message to request a short review. Make it a personal handwritten note and suggest the specific topic, such as a problem you solved for them.
Offer to create a draft from your experiences together, including what they may have said, for their approval or editing. Discuss a case study that you can each share on your sites.
🎙 Interview your client for a podcast episode and ask to record a testimonial afterwards. Guide them with specific questions about their experience with you and your company.
When 84% of web visitors trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, it’s time to focus on doing more of this kind of proof-based marketing. Share on XOutsource
Consider platforms that facilitate reviews by SMS (yes, SMS) and videos.
♦ Try the free level of VideoAsk, a video testimonial platform. Navigate to How It Works to see the invitation and video collection process.
♦ Get reviews and referrals. Yotpo’s suite embraces reviews, loyalty, SMS and referral marketing. Try it’s free plan.
Tips for Audio or Video Testimonials
📹 For more tips on how to set up a video testimonial, check out this article from TV producer Ava Seavey. These ideas are a staple for infomercial creators, but useful to anyone recording video endorsements.
Create a Web Page
Post your collection on a special page for testimonials and/or reviews. You might want to separate them on separate pages. Put a link in your site footer to them. Post some or all in your About section. Place them on product sales pages.
If you like this article, you might like my “Ask for Referrals” piece.