Getting Knockout Testimonials That Attract More Clients

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about testimonials, both how to get them and how to use them. Many service professionals get stuck here, either because they don’t know the best way to collect them, or they don’t know where and when to use them. The outcome is usually a website peppered with testimonials, which is better than nothing, but not nearly as effectively used as they could be.

When used to their potential, client success stories, such as case studies and testimonials are the most powerful and compelling marketing tools you can have.

So what are some of the techniques for getting and using testimonials in a way that will really get the attention of prospects? Let’s take a look at some possibilities.

Two of my clients, a wife and husband team of coaches in business together, started working with me because, despite the fact that they are clearly great at what they do, they haven’t had good information about how to market their services in a way that gets people to flock to them.

As a result, they have had several years of frustration working to bring in clients consistently.

After a short time working together, these lovely folks had a particularly good month in which, among other great things, added three new clients and started an affiliate program that brought in hundreds of dollars and the potential for many more. They sent me an email, which I’ve excerpted parts of here:

“In the past week (much since talking with you yesterday),

* We launched – at the request of enthusiastic client inquiries- an affiliate program for a service we haven’t even talked about, and booked a few hundred dollars in sales of said service…

* Welcomed back an old client to monthly coaching…

* Booked a new client, a professional woman making over $100,000 who matches our new demographic almost to the letter…

* Got another new client yesterday for a total of three this week alone.

Thanks, coach. We know there’s still plenty of work ahead, but it feels like we’ve turned the corner and we have you to thank for a big chunk of that.”

Imagine if you could see these kinds of results in one week.

Here’s why client success stories yield such great wins:

1. They put into a nutshell what you really do. As you know, in the early stages of the marketing process, clients-to-be are not terribly interested in the methods or processes you use to help them get what they want. What’s much more compelling is hearing about the success you deliver for clients.

Using case studies and testimonials gets at the heart of the matter and gives them real examples of both what you’ve done in the past for people, and what you could do for them if they hire you.

2. They prove you do what you claim you do. Part of human nature is healthy skepticism. When we’re asked to part with our money, we want some guarantees we’re going to get back substantial value. A real-life example of client success, followed with the actual client corroborating your story provides your prospective clients with evidence no one can argue with, not just fancy hyperbole.

3. Prospects identify with stories, not with concepts. Good marketing language doesn’t convince or sell people on your services. It inspires people to dream about what could happen for them, and lets them know you are the person to help them make those dreams real.

Examples of past and current client successes hit people on an emotional level, and although we would like to make purely rational choices, we buy professional services either because we’re in some sort of pain in our current situation, or we have a great desire for more out of life. Stories about the great results you’ve provided speak to those parts of us.

4. You can use them anywhere and anytime. Any medium, any venue, any context for your marketing is an appropriate place to use case studies and testimonials. For example:

* Networking – try eliminating your current spiel about what you do when people ask, and simply say, “rather than give you a title, let me give an example…” and then deliver a knockout story about the results a client had from working with you.

*Ezines, blogs, podcasts, etc. – all methods of regular outreach marketing are great because you can give your audience valuable information that will help them, while injecting proof that you’re the real deal.

By the way, if you ever get stuck for topics for these media, simply list some of the real issues, problems, or concerns your real clients have had, list how you helped them resolve them, tell the story, and you have enough material to last you for a long, long time.

* Teleclasses and presentations – the best speakers weave stories into their talks because they serve to illustrate their points with an emotional edge. When those stories are focused on their clients’ success, they look like the hero. They’re also an opportunity to keep things light or humorous.

5. They’re compelling to you, so they get you excited. Marketing can be uncomfortable for a lot of service professionals, because they shy away from talking about themselves. However, talking about your clients’ success takes the pressure off you, and still brings out your enthusiasm because you’re talking about the very reasons you started your own business in the first place. Few things are more compelling than the idea of working with someone who loves what they do.

Now that you know some of the things that make client success stories so effective, and some different ways to use them, here are a few strategies for getting great testimonials and case studies that really get the attention of your prospects.

1. Once a client has achieved a few great results from your work together, ask them to document those results in the form of a testimonial. Ask them to focus on what they’ve achieved or how life is different for them now. The more specific and tangible they can be, the better.

A great way to approach this is have your VA, spouse, friend, etc., interview your client with a list of questions you’ve written up in advance. This has the double benefit of making it easy to ask questions you might feel uncomfortable about asking directly, and giving the client the opportunity to gush about you to a third party, which may help them feel less bashful.

2. Using this material which has originated with the client, write up a case study that shows clearly what outcomes you helped them with. The best syntax for this is as follows (this might seem familiar):

a. a short description of the client, (one that the person you’re talking to can identify with the description), e.g.: “…a wife and husband team of coaches in business together …”

b. a brief explanation of the issue or concern that client had: “…several years of frustration working to bring in clients consistently.”

c. an account of the results they’ve seen while working with you: “…added three clients and started an affiliate program that brought in hundreds of dollars…”

3. Follow the case study with a testimonial copied and pasted from your client’s exact words about your services. That constitutes the proof of the pudding, since you’re letting that person taste someone else’s words, not just your own marketing copy.

4. Repeat this process until you have several examples that you can use in all your marketing materials.

5. Write a script of two or three client success stories. Learn them well enough that you can pull them out at a moment’s notice. You never know when you’ll need them: I recently attended a networking breakfast at which my business card was drawn to stand up and give my elevator talk. With a few scant minutes to prepare, I was grateful I had rehearsed a great case study. On my way back to my chair, I had no fewer than three people ask for my card to talk more about what I do.

This may all seem like a lot of work, but remember that having stories about your successes with clients isn’t just one small part of your marketing message to people. Talking about the things your clients get from working with you is the heart of what you do, and ultimately the only reason someone will hire you.

So, with not a lot of effort to collect, develop, and practice case studies and testimonials, you’ll have tons of powerful material that can be the difference between attracting the attention of new prospects and having them walk away. It can be the difference between having someone you’ve been bringing around the Marketing Ball bases give you an enthusiastic “yes!” or looking elsewhere for the same services you provide.

Until next month, I wish you tons of confidence, and ever-improving marketing language.

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