The Power of Praise
Creating a successful testimonial campaign involves understanding the best practices for requesting and using testimonials. Here’s a comprehensive guide, gleaned from various expert sources, on how to get your advocates to make testimonials:
How to get customer testimonials:
1) Offer Choice in Testimonial Format: Give your customers options for how they can provide their testimonials, whether it be text, audio, or video. This flexibility encourages more participation as it caters to different preferences. With ShoutOut you can request video, text or audio testimonials giving your customers the maximum flexibility.
2) Use Different Channels for Requests: Utilise multiple communication channels like email, SMS, social media, and in-person interactions. Each channel has its unique advantages and can increase the likelihood of receiving testimonials.
3) Email Templates for Requests: Email is a commonly used method to request testimonials due to its convenience. Use templates that are concise, professional, and friendly, explaining why you’re asking for the testimonial and any benefits for the customer. Following up is also crucial if there’s no initial response. If you want to make it even easier for your customer add a ShoutOut link to the email so they can just click and provide a testimonial in any format they choose.
4) Focus on Selling Points in Testimonials: Ensure that the testimonials highlight the results and benefits of your products or services. Tailor your questions to address typical client objections and focus on the positive impact of your product or service.
5) Create a Dedicated Testimonial Page: Have a page on your website specifically for showcasing testimonials. This not only adds credibility but also provides potential customers with varied perspectives on your product or service.
6) Effective Use of Testimonials: Once you receive a testimonial, share it on your website, social media accounts, and other marketing materials. This amplifies the positive experiences of your clients and can encourage others to try your product or service. With ShoutOut you can share your testimonials to social media with one click. For testimonial videos ShoutOut will write the social post for you using AI.
7) Automation vs. Manual Requests: Depending on the nature of your interaction with customers, decide between automated emails or manual, personalised requests. Automated emails work well for customers who use free software and don’t interact much with customer support however for larger customers a personal approach is better.
8) Provide Incentives for Submitting Testimonials: Offering incentives like gift cards or company swag can motivate customers to submit a testimonial. Ensure that the request email is compelling and explains the mutual benefits of submitting a testimonial. ShoutOut is able to automatically send a link for a gift or some swag when the testimonial is produced.
9) Multiple Options for Submission: Allow customers to choose their preferred method of testimonial submission. This can include options like filming a short video, writing a few paragraphs, or even participating in a live interview on your social profiles.
10) Ask Simple, Open-ended Questions: Pose questions that encourage customers to share detailed experiences. This approach helps in creating testimonials that resonate more with prospects and can be more effective in marketing. The clearer the ask the more likely your customers will provide a testimonial.
11) Regular Feedback Monitoring: After receiving testimonials, continually monitor customer feedback to ensure that your product or service meets client needs and to identify areas for improvement.
12) Leverage Social Media for Testimonials: Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences on social media platforms and consider using these platforms to gather testimonials. With ShoutOut you can send a sharable copy of the testimonial to a customer immediately or when it is approved.
13) Offer a Free Product in Exchange for a Testimonial: This strategy is particularly effective for new businesses or bloggers. Providing a free product can incentivise customers to leave honest testimonials.
Remember, acquiring testimonials is not just about gathering positive reviews; it’s about creating a narrative that showcases the value and impact of your products or services as well as highlighting potential shortcoming your product or service may have. By implementing these tips for collecting testimonials, you can effectively gather and utilise testimonials to boost your business’s credibility and appeal.
