You can tell potential customers all day long how great you are, but they probably will not listen to you. Brands are not credible in the eyes of consumers. Do you know who they will listen to? Other consumers. That is why customer testimonials are so powerful. Here are a few ways to earn authentic customer testimonials.
Customer testimonials are a form of social proof. In other words, people are more likely to follow the actions of others. We will be more likely to purchase a product or service if we see that other satisfied customers have purchased it already. Customer testimonials also play on our fear of missing out or FOMO. We want to be part of the crowd, not missing out on the latest and greatest the marketplace has to offer.
You can look for organic and authentic testimonials on your social media accounts. Facebook pages allow followers to leave reviews for different companies. Source the reviews you receive on Facebook for testimonials on your own website. Also, look for testimonials left on your Twitter and Instagram accounts. You can ask followers specifically to send in their reviews via social media. By leaving your customer a recommendation or endorsement on LinkedIn, they may leave you a testimonial in return.
Another way to encourage customer testimonials is to incentivize them. Offer a free upgrade or a discount in exchange for an honest testimonial about your product or service. If you have a rewards program, you could also give loyalty points in exchange for reviews. An additional technique is to offer a testimonial swap. If you and your customer have both used each other’s services and are satisfied, then you can both write reviews for one another. You could also offer your product or service for free to get feedback, which is especially useful if you are still establishing your customer base.
To get authentic testimonials from customers, you have to ask open-ended questions about their experience with your product, services or company in general. You want to ask specific questions to get specific answers. Testimonials should focus on the tangible impact you made for your customer and should not be vague. One potential question to ask customers could be would you recommend this service to a friend, and if so why?
You can ask for testimonials from customers via email, over the phone or in person. It helps to ask immediately after your project is done or after they have gotten value from your product or service. That way, you are still fresh in their minds. You could send out a survey via email with questions asking for a testimonial. Be sure to also save emails with kind, organic comments from customers and ask their permission to publish the testimonials on your website.
Are you looking to boost your customer testimonials? Turn to the experts at the Borenstein Group, a Top DC marketing agency. We can help you quickly earn authentic customer testimonials to boost your bottom line.