THE 5 WAYS TO COLLECT POWERFUL TESTIMONIALS FOR YOUR BUSINESS | Lady Drinks
Most consumers base their purchase of a product or service on customer reviews. Amazon, for example, has become synonymous with its infamous buyer reviews.
When we purchase something on Amazon, the chances of receiving a polite email requesting that we review the product are high, especially if the company is smaller in size. Testimonials are an essential part of every business’s success, and as women, we must show persistence when it comes to collecting them.
Every Customer Testimonial is Beneficial
Positive testimonials allow your business, no matter the industry, to gain credibility. The experiences of our customers showcase our talent and authenticity. Even a negative review can work in our favor, if we let it, by giving us the chance to express our dedication to making the situation work for all parties involved.
There are various effective ways to collect powerful customer testimonials for our businesses without feeling overwhelmed. We have tricks for all those in South Asian women’s leadership to market themselves without working around the clock, and utilizing consumer testimonials is one of them.
Making Our Business Work for Us
We are all incredibly busy. When it comes to women’s leadership, we wear a lot of hats. We all might not have the same hats, but we change them often nonetheless.
In that sense, women need to have business processes that work for us. We need to simplify wherever possible and allow the technology available to take on some of our workloads. Collecting customer testimonials is a massive part of letting others see what we can do without always having to show them.
Customer testimonials come in many forms, both written and visual. Here, we have five fantastic ways to collect powerful testimonials that drive businesses’ success forward, allowing women entrepreneurs to take things to the next level.
When to Ask for a Client Testimonial
One of the hardest parts of receiving client testimonials is asking for them. Requesting a testimonial at the wrong time may make the client or student reluctant to review services, especially when caught off guard.
Instead of risking alienating customers from the idea of providing a testimonial, introduce the concept early on in your interactions. When creating a package for them, make sure a testimonial is part of it. It can be voluntary, but it gives them time to prepare as the collaboration progresses, and the testimonial grows closer.
Make it as easy as possible for them. Yes, this does create more work for business owners in the short term, but it’s well worth the time in the long run. If consumers can provide a testimonial in one or two clicks, not only are they more likely to leave one, but we’ve shown them how considerate we are by guiding them through.
Google Forms are an excellent way to collect client testimonials. They’re quick, easy to set up and fill out, and they’ll save directly to the business’ Google Drive, eliminating the risk of losing data.
The Strength of the Video Testimonial
The world has gone digital, and the power that video has is unmatchable to any other form of media. Users are more likely to engage in video content, and that includes testimonials. The best part is, those viewing video testimonials are often very forgiving, meaning the video does not have to be perfect to be effective.
Video testimonials are incredibly personal. They allow potential clients to see the person who has used this product or service, whatever it may be, and see their emotion when they speak about their experience. It’s organic, and it creates conversions.
Editing Tools for Video Testimonials
While video testimonials don’t have to be perfect, there are a few editing tools, many with free versions, that encourage people to stay on the video longer. For example, creating captions for a video will mean that potential clients will know what is going on without turning on the sound.
It’s rare to scroll through social media and see videos without captions. The same rule applies to testimonials. Keep in mind that not everyone can hear audio. Also, captions are excellent when applying search engine optimization. The edited result will make an astoundingly, powerful client testimonial.
Check out the following software:
Asking Clients for Headshots
Asking clients for headshots may seem invasive when wrapping up the testimonial process, even for executive women. Still, the truth is, it will benefit them exponentially, especially if those clients have websites.
We can easily place the URL (not hyperlinked) to their site underneath their name and testimonial, without encouraging site visitors to leave our sales page. Also, a headshot is comforting to those reading the testimonials. They can see that the person is real, aiding them in making a decision.
Leveraging Negative Reviews
As we mentioned briefly, negative reviews don’t have to destroy the business reputation of an entrepreneur. Responding to negative thoughts and testimonials provides us with the chance to clear up misconceptions, embrace genuine feedback, and build relationships.
We can make things right by answering quickly, talking it out to gain insight into the root of the issue, and cultivating an understanding between business owners and clients. It’s important to remember that our business doesn’t have to be a solution for everyone.
We market to target audiences for a reason. However, don’t be quick to dismiss negative feedback. There is always something to learn.
Providing Social Proof
We can preach to our audiences all day long about how excellent our service or product is, but it’s much harder to make the sale without documented social proof. Testimonials are an easy way to show potential clients that you’re more than ready to take them on while marketing yourself in a way that’s nothing but authentic.
Originally published at https://ladydrinks.com on October 22, 2020.
