There are many marketing, tech and web terms to describe Testimonials. However, it comes down to “I trust your message more when other people, like me, say you are good”. Trust is what you as a professional services provider need to receive, before you can get a new client.
The Value of Testimonials
Google reports that people use 10.4 sources of information before purchasing. Various sources put Testimonials in the #1 position of information that has the greatest value on a website or in a presentation.
Considering your potential clients “shop around” and talk to 3 others, before deciding on which professional they will use, you need to stand out and be trusted.
Getting Testimonials
- Normally you get testimonials after you’ve delivered services and your clients have experienced them. By letting a former client know that someone will be contacting them for a testimonial, you are preparing them for an associate or trusted 3rd party to call them. When that person does call, we’ve found 70% of current and former clients are willing to give a testimonial. Because this is verbal, that quote needs to be written down accurately. This is very easy for your clients because they don’t need to write the testimonial.
- Before you deliver services – Come to an agreement with a new client on what result is expected. Be specific. Write this out as a Testimonial which can be used only if they approve it. This both gives you and your client a clear goal, and when the result is realized, the testimonial is already prepared.
Both of these make it simple for your clients and for you
How to Use Testimonials
Position On Webpage
A 2013 report by MarketingExperiments.com showed testimonials work best on a website when placed very close to “the moment anxiety is stimulated”. For example:
(Anxiety headline) Commonly ranked in the top 10 reasons a CRA audit is triggered: Ignoring CRA’s request for further information.
(Testimonial) “Dale Smith Accounting is great because whenever I ask for information, or the government asks, Dale responds quickly and accurately” Jennifer Jung, XYZ Manufacturing
Length of Testimonial
The number of words in an effective testimonial does make a difference. If the services are simple such as an average tax return, a simple sentence can be enough. However if an accounting firm handles complex services, such as Business Valuation, then more detail is justified. Big decisions justify lots of evidence.
Topics Mentioned
Use testimonials of the services you are trying to promote: potential clients will read them, and Google will recognize the terminology used.
Make It Real
If people only see too-good-to-be-true comments, they don’t trust them. However, if they see some comments that are strong and some only moderate, that makes it realistic. We know no one is perfect, so don’t pretend to be.
Get More Ideas That Work
There are many ways to build your base of new contacts and new clients. Contact me and I will ask you a series of questions, then provide you with an outline of which Client Development tools are going to work best in your professional practice.
