How to get testimonials – social proof that you are awesome!

By Zoey Hughes, Cyber PR Army

Testimonials can have more of an impact on sales than traditional advertising methods. A powerful endorsement from your customers can be added to your website, used as content for social media posts and PPC advertising. This crucial form of feedback helps new customers know that you are the real deal. Wondering how to get testimonials? Let’s look at your options.​

The power of social proof is immense, but many business owners feel surprisingly uncomfortable asking for an endorsement. Whether it is a lack of confidence, a fear of rejection, or simply not knowing the best way to approach a customer, the growth of your business relies on you being able to back up your claims with happy testimonials.

Here are five easy ways to ask for testimonials. And don’t worry, your customers won’t bite!

1. Add it to your invoice footer. If you send invoices for goods or services to your customers, this is a quick and easy fix, and you can even add an incentive. This doesn’t have to be longwinded or complex; just a single line, such as “Please hit reply and send us your thoughts on your latest order.”
   
   You also have the option to add a sweetener if you believe testimonials will be hard to come by. Most customers will happily give you their thoughts but offering them 5% off their next order can go a long way if you are struggling to gain social proof.​
   
   
2. Add a link to your website. Whether you choose to link this to your email address, a short customer satisfaction survey or a dedicated input form is up to you. A website link allows everyone easy access to provide a testimonial, but it does have a couple of downsides. Firstly, you may receive spam feedback. Make sure this information doesn’t automatically go live so you have a chance to review it. Secondly, regular customers may not use your website anymore. They may phone orders through, message you on social media, or have a rolling contract that requires no input from them.
   
   
3. Add it to your business card or flyer. This is a great method of getting feedback from new clients. It’s extremely easy to add a single line to your business cards and flyers with a generic CTA along the lines of “Let us know how we did!”.
   
   
4. Send an email. If you are already sitting on a gold mine of social proof, it’s time to get hands-on. Send a carefully worded email to existing customers asking them politely to share their views. Mention that you may use it for marketing purposes, although this can be in small print and emphasize that this will help others decide if you are right for them and give you a chance to address their comments.
   
   Again, you can add in an incentive. This format allows you to be more creative. Of course, you can offer a discount, but you can also promise to send a digital download, give them a shout-out on social media, or add something special to their next order.
   
   
5. Send a text. Digital marketing has always favoured email as a format. It is still one of the best ways to engage your audience in terms of ROI. But in recent years, text marketing has also blossomed, and some businesses are making skillful use of automated texts. Just like in an email, you want to politely request feedback, but don’t let it run into multiple texts. Short but sweet is key here; automation can make it simple. This should be a chain that you can send whenever needed. It could start “Happy to share what you think? Y/N” followed by “That’s great! It’s really helpful to our business. Text us your thoughts here.” Once they’ve responded, ask them if they want you to get in touch with them, and again, you have the option of ending with a promo code.

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Some common hurdles

Let’s look at some common concerns people have about approaching their customers for testimonials and why you should do so anyway.

They might get mad…

Many business owners believe that the inconvenience of giving a testimonial will be such a turnoff to a customer that they may never come back. The truth is that if that is the case, they weren’t a solid customer anyway. Most consumers are fully aware of the importance of testimonials to small businesses, and if they feel uncomfortable or don’t wish to, they will tell you! The trick is to not badger them into it and send requests sparingly. If you do get a testimonial from a customer, they won’t feel annoyed. Instead, they are likely to feel more invested in your business than ever and spread the word to their friends.

What if no one provides a testimonial…

If no one responds to your request, something has gone wrong in your process. It may be as simple as a poorly worded request (we can help you with that if you don’t feel confident), or it may be that your customers just aren’t engaged with your brand. Either way, having that information provides you with room to improve and grow your business.

But what if the feedback isn’t great…

That’s great too! If your customers are delighted, you need to know about it. If they mention something specific, start looking at what you need to implement to address the issue. If they are surprisingly vague, follow up with them to let them know you would like to address their concerns but would like some specifics. 

Need a hand?

If you are still feeling nervous about approaching your customers or have a pile of great testimonials but not a clue what to do with them, we are here to help. We have helped many small businesses receive and market their testimonials, and we can do the same for you. Get in touch with our team today, and let’s show the world how great your business can be!

Find us at www.cyberprarmy.com or reach out to our Commander-in-Chief on lynn@cyberprarmy.com.

Cyber PR Army. Understand where you want to be, and we’ll help you get there.