How Asking For Client Testimonials Can Help You Market Your Small Business
As more and more people begin to rely on reviews and testimonials to help guide their purchasing decisions, asking for client testimonials as a small business owner has become essential. Not only are client testimonials a powerful way to increase the brand awareness and reputation of your business, they also allow you to connect with your target audience. Business testimonials give potential customers a closer look into how your product or service can solve their problem. We believe that the business benefits of testimonials go far beyond just word-of-mouth marketing as well and further explored the power of testimonials with Eman Ismail from Inkhouse in Episode 260 of the Being Boss Podcast.
Below, other members of the Being Boss Community share their experience with using testimonials in their businesses, from how to get customers to leave reviews to the impact testimonial marketing can provide.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing
To me, sharing testimonials is like word-of-mouth marketing for the internet and are essential! I collect them wherever I can. Whenever someone posts on social media or email, I reply back asking if we can use their photos and comments on our website and other social platforms. The website also collects reviews for products.
Once I’ve collected a new testimonial, I add it to our “real customers” webpage, as a secondary photo on the product page, and add their comment to the product description or add it as a review. I also use customer testimonials in promotional emails and for social media posts.
When customers are not commenting about specific products, just about the customer service or brand in general, I save those emails in a special folder and read them when I am feeling down. And I put my favorites front and center on the website home page!
Erika Neumayer Ehrat // Rare Dirndl
Focus Group Feedback
I’m the founder of a small publishing business called Free Period Press. So, for us, testimonials mostly take the form of product reviews. We’ve just implemented a Shopify app for reviews called Loox, which encourages photo reviews in addition to text. Besides providing social proof for potential customers, I love seeing how our products are used out in the world! It’s like a mini focus group and provides great feedback for future product design decisions.
Lora DiFranco // Free Period Press
Increased Trustworthiness
Testimonials are like GOLD! Potential clients are more likely to make a purchase with you if they can see that what you have to offer has provided others value.
Whenever someone says something nice about you and your services, ask if you can quote them. Then, slap that review everywhere you can. Create a testimonials/endorsements page on your website, post the quote on your social media feed, even include your endorsements in your email signature, newsletters, and sales sheets! By showing your potential clients the positive feedback you’re receiving, you’re validating that you’re trustworthy and will provide them a positive return on investment.
Celia Coughlin-Surridge // Celia Rose Creative
