Testimonials are an often overlooked aspect of marketing for online businesses. Many business owners feel uncomfortable asking clients for testimonials. And even if they do get over the awkwardness and ask for feedback, they don’t know what to do with it to effectively drive conversions.
The idea of requesting and publishing testimonials might make you feel a little self-conscious. But it’s crucial to get over those emotions.
Testimonials can have a significant impact on your conversion rate. Plus they offer valuable insight to help you develop future offers.
So let’s dive into the subject of testimonials. We’ll cover how to request them and what to do once you have them.
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1 | Get Comfortable Asking for Testimonials
One of the most common mistakes we see from online entrepreneurs is that they wait for testimonials to come in “naturally.” They’re always on the lookout for an email, comment, or online review that hypes up their brand or offers.
The problem is that those unprompted compliments are fairly rare. Even when customers are thrilled with their purchases, they don’t always think about leaving a review or sharing a testimonial.
What does that mean for you as a business owner? It means you’ve got to get comfortable asking for testimonials.
It may seem a little awkward at first. But remember, testimonials don’t just benefit you. They’re also extremely helpful for potential customers who want unbiased information about your business and offers.
Requesting testimonials can also help your current customers. Getting a request for feedback can remind them about features of your product they might have forgotten.
And if you encourage them to ask questions or request additional features, you show your customers that you really care about giving them the best service.
Related post: 5 Ways to Ask for Client Feedback on Your Website
2 | Make It Easy for Your Customers to Provide Testimonials
The easiest way to start requesting feedback is to include a rate or review feature on your website. You can also make sure your site is tied to one or more third-party review platforms, such as Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and Facebook Reviews.
Some customers will take the time to give your business a star rating or write a brief review. But many people simply forget to do so, which means you’ve got to find more ways to request feedback.
If you’re going to request testimonials, make it as easy as possible for your customers to provide them! Here are some options to consider:
- Email: Send a message to customers asking for feedback on the purchase they recently made. Include a link to a testimonial submission form that makes it quick and easy for them to provide all the information you want from them.
- Video: Some customers find it easier to take a quick video talking about your product instead of typing out a testimonial. Encourage them to do so, if that’s what they’d prefer. Make it easier for them by providing a quick outline or prompts for their video.
- Survey: A customer survey can provide crucial feedback, and it’s a format that most customers are familiar with. Consider offering an incentive to encourage people to fill out the survey — perhaps a discount on their next purchase.
- Case Study: A case study can work well for business owners who work directly with clients (e.g., coaches, teachers, etc.). Encourage your clients to answer some relevant questions at the start of your working relationship. Then ask the same questions at the end of the contract. This setup makes it easy for you and your client to see their progress.
You don’t have to use all of these methods to collect testimonials. In fact, it’s usually best to pick two or three and focus on them. Focus on giving your customers a quick and easy way to provide their feedback.
Related post: How to Create a Case Study for Your Coaching or 1:1 Services
3 | Make a Plan to Share Testimonials
Now that you’ve gathered some positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers, it’s time to share them with potential clients!
Most people use testimonials when deciding whether to make a purchase. Think about the last time you bought something online. Did you look at the product’s star rating or read any of the customer reviews? Probably so — especially if that information was easily available.
That’s what you want to give your potential clients — a quick and easy way to see what satisfied customers have to say. So think about the testimonials that you have (and the format they’re in) and decide how best to display them. Consider these ideas:
- Add a couple of short testimonials to each product page. Ideally, try to include one relating to your company in general and one for the specific product itself.
- Turn a testimonial into an eye-catching graphic for your shop page.
- Create a testimonials page where visitors can scroll through lots of reviews.
- Enhance your home page or landing page with a video testimonial.
- Include a short testimonial or two in your promo/launch email sequence.
- Embed an audio testimonial at the bottom of your services page.
Think about how your potential customers browse your website and interact with the pages, and use that info to decide how to showcase your testimonials.
Choose the placement of your testimonials carefully. For example, reviews and feedback that talk about your brand in general may fit well on your site’s testimonials page. Testimonials that highlight specific benefits or outcomes of certain products should be closely tied to those offers — on the product pages, for example.
If possible, try to sprinkle some testimonials throughout your website, emails, and social media posts. You don’t want to go overboard — it’s not ideal if your audience feels like all they’re seeing are positive reviews and kudos for your brand.
But there’s nothing wrong with showcasing the positive feedback you get from clients. That’s how potential customers know what to expect from your brand and offers.
4 | Analyze the Impact of Testimonials on Your Conversion Rate
Once you’ve incorporated testimonials on your website, in your content, and on your social media pages, you can start measuring how they affect your conversion rate. Monitor your metrics to see what’s changing.
- Are you seeing more click-throughs in your emails?
- Are people visiting to testimonials page on your site?
- Are visitors spending more time on product pages instead of bouncing away immediately?
- Are you seeing a rise in sales?
These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself. There may be others that work better for your brand. As long as you’re paying attention so you can see what’s working, that’s the most important thing.
Related post: How to Use Testimonials to Drive Conversions
Final Thoughts
Testimonials are a vital part of an effective marketing strategy. They can help potential customers feel confident buying from you and show them the benefits they can expect from your products and services.
Plus, testimonials give you valuable insight into your customer base. You can see how they feel about your offers and which features are most important to them. And you can use that information to refine your current offers and decide which products or services you want to launch next.
Do you want to learn more about using testimonials to effectively increase your conversion rate? We’ve got the perfect resource for you: a comprehensive marketing guide all about this crucial topic.
This 20+ page PDF guide covers everything you need to know about testimonials, from developing a plan to gathering them to deciding how to leverage them. Get your copy of How to Use Testimonials to Boost Conversions marketing guide inside the Momentum Biz Vault now!