Pump Up Your Profits Through Testimonials

Testimonials can boost your bottom line. That’s right! Testimonials can increase the profits of a small business, yet this tactic is often overlooked. Here are a few key tips to consider…

Having a marketing mindset is crucial for small business success. You not only provide value to your customers and clients, you also have to prove your value to prospects. One of the most effective ways to show your value is through referrals. Another is the tried-and-true practice of posting testimonials. According to studies by Search Engine Watch, 72% of consumers will take action only after reading positive reviews.

Social Proof — Testimonial Marketing Strategies for Boosting Business

Testimonials offer social proof of your company’s value. Whenever people are when they are making choices, they will often look at what others are doing to figure out what to do. This is psychological and often not even obvious to the decision maker.

We are often influenced by what others are doing around us when making ethical decisions in everyday life. Psychologists call this social proof. It is natural to follow the crowd when we are uncertain about what to do, particularly if we identify with those around us.

Testimonials can grow your business through the power of social proof. It’s an effective tool that’s often underestimated. The persuasive effectiveness of this resource is one of our strongest marketing assets. Business owners are often hesitant to request testimonials for fear that they will come across as self-promotional or bragging.

It’s OK to Offer Positive Reviews Examples to Prospects

There are two ways to get testimonials. You can ask for them or wait until someone sends one in, totally unsolicited. The first approach is faster. The second approach is easier.

For example, when you’ve made a sale, email the customer to check in with them to ensure that all their questions are covered. A few days later, another email can be sent to them to see if they were satisfied with the product or service.

A survey form can be sent to prompt the customer to answer a few simple prompts. At the end of the survey, have them respond in their own words. Prompts can yield useful answers, but coaxing a written response is even more effective. At the end of the survey, get their permission to use the information as a featured testimonial.

Prompting Testimonials from Customers Using Samples

It is critical that testimonials are truthful. Often, marketing books tell you to write up a sample testimonial and send it to your satisfied customer for review and consent. It’s because customers may hesitate to write a testimonial and to procrastinate submitting it.

Making up testimonials is still unethical, even if you get them to sign off on your wording. However, sending them your template as a guide to help them create their own is 100% legitimate. They can decide how to get it done.

One clever way to prompt a testimonial is with other testimonials. In an email to new customers to garner a written testimonial, one service provider features other testimonials in quotes to prompt the customer to include their own.

Is it ok to send customers testimonial samples as a prompt to get them to write one? I think that’s fine as long as the message is clear that you’re sending them an example of the type of testimonials that are useful. The message should be clear that positive review examples are cool; testimonial propaganda is not cool.

Including a testimonial template that your customer can use and edit is entirely legitimate. Testimonial examples also have an impact on your email request. It makes crafting a testimonial so much easier for them. They are more likely to respond. The email can read something like this.

Hi, Casey.

We’d appreciate it if you could write a brief testimonial for our website.

I’ve included a verified example to illustrate what others are doing.

— — — — — — — — — -

“I’ll confess, I really did not know what I was doing, so I reluctantly

called your service.

Many thanks for showing up on time and working on my kitchen drain.

No one really understands the value of a high-quality plumbing

service until they need one.

Thanks again for a job well done.”

Harry Phelps

Tacoma, WA

— — — — — — — — — -

We routinely update our testimonial pages, and I would like your input as a customer.

Would this be ok if we got a quick snapshot of you for the page as well?

Ignore this request if it causes you any discomfort.

I’ve included a link to a short blurb that you can review and edit, or you can

write and send a sentence or two.

That’s totally our choice.

Thanks in advance, Casey!

Use a Testimonial Request Toolkit to Make the Process Easy

You don’t have to teach your customer how to write a testimonial. Just give them a few prompts. If you want to get glowing testimonials regularly, make it a part of your marketing process. There are services available that can make the request effortless for your customers. Feedback and testimonial templates are easy to use and implement for this kind of strategy. This can be included in the automated follow-up process as a component of your sales funnel.

Research conducted by HubSpot found that 87% of people believe that recommendations or reviews from friends or family are the most trusted sources of information. This kind of result should be taken seriously. In order to qualify as a testimonial, the individual must endorse your product or service. They should be familiar with the product or service.

Research Testimonials Templates Online to Optimize Your Marketing

HubSpot and other online marketing resources offer free training and templates on testimonial marketing to help small and mid-sized businesses. There’s a wealth of advice on what works and what doesn’t. I especially like the idea that templates and samples help the customer submit more effective testimonials.

For example, the customer should explain how the product or service profited them. It’s not enough to just say they’ve tried it; they must also explain why they like it. So using templates can make the process much less intimidating for customers. Use a form on your website or a dedicated platform to collect, manage, and showcase testimonials.

Customer testimonials, according to BigCommerce, can generate 62% more revenue from every customer, every time. According to Search Engine Watch, 72% of consumers will take action only after reading a positive review. That’s an enormous opportunity for conversions.

It’s critical to use testimonials that show a measurable goal has been accomplished. For example, “Your service increased my click-through-rate by 30%” is more effective at getting prospects to pay attention than “My CTR went up”.

Testimonials without measurements are not as persuasive. Numbers definitely make a more powerful impression. A prospect who reads a testimonial that offers concrete images of results from your company is more likely to keep that positive response they feel.

Keep Testimonials Relatable and Personable

The review should use language that your potential clients will relate to. The template should prompt them to be personal. That means the sample has to avoid that robotic “fill in the blank” look. You want the customer to feel good at the end of the testimonial submission. Seek professional help with this project. It’s too important to “wing it”.

Trying to get clients to share a testimonial can be a real pain for business owners. In the absence of a process or the right tools, it can be difficult. You can ask customers for testimonials effectively using tools and templates available online. The process can be automated to whatever extent you are comfortable with. Testimonials examples are everywhere on the Internet.

Summary:

Testimonial advertising leads to bigger profits. The studies have been consistent for decades. Customer testimonials placed alongside more expensive items increased conversion rates 380% (Power Reviews) Collecting quality praise is a painless way to increase leads and sales.

Now that you know how to use testimonials for maximum profits, there’s just one thing left for you to do: take action. For more information on small business marketing, connect with me at https://contentmarketingmagic.co/blog