What do you do when you hate talking about yourself and why people should hire you, but you know you need a little thing we call “social proof?” Well, you give your clients an incredible experience and then you invite them to share about it… We all know the power of word-of-mouth marketing and as small businesses, it can be the driving generator for new clients.

Social proof and what others say about working with you can be the main thing that pushes someone from a prospect to saying “heck yes, I NEED to work with her.” Knowing someone just like yourself has had a good experience with the business you are considering buying from or working with is a great way to build trust and confidence. Many businesses fall short from taking advantage of this simple marketing strategy. Let’s change that!

5 Tips for Awesome Testimonials

1. Don’t be afraid to edit what they say – but don’t overdo it.

(And if you do edit, always get their final sign-off.) Most people don’t know how to write an awesome testimonial. While they may be willing to write you one, they may not know the key components to writing a compelling one. Guiding them through this process is key and I’ve included my exact questions for testimonials below.Using their actual language demonstrates there was a real person behind the words and can help the reader connect to them. If the testimonial was given by a dream client, you’ll want to attract others just like them.

2. Help them tell their story.

If you can show what someone’s problems and fears were before hiring you or buying your product and then illustrate what has changed since then (gains, confidence, income, outcome, etc.) you’ll be well on your way to a killer testimonial. If a prospect discovers that someone else felt the same way they do currently and those worries were proven to not be true, they will be more confident in hiring you. As a business, your goal should be to solve someone else’s problems, make their life easier, or help them feel less alone – have them speak to that and other prospective clients will see that you’re the perfect fit!

3. Get super specific.

The biggest (and sometimes hardest thing) about testimonials is getting and proving tangible results or change. Try to get concrete results wherever possible. Talking about real results in numbers is much more powerful than simply saying “we saw big improvement.” Get your client to share exactly what changed and how to bring your testimonial to the next level.

4. Consider picking up the phone.

Don’t be afraid to get on the phone with your client who is willing to share their results and nail down the specifics! Sometimes just asking those extra clarifying questions can help your testimonial go from good to great! You can really get a feel for their story and specific results best in a conversation. This way you can dig deeper where needed and collect as much information as you can. This also shows your client how much you care about their experience and gives you a chance to pull out quotes that you know will speak to future clients.

5. Put testimonials where they have the biggest impact:

Where should your testimonials go? Well, everywhere but especially at the point where new clients are making a decision to buy. Many small businesses have a testimonials page, but these will be long forgotten by the time someone is at the point of making a decision. Instead, have testimonials placed anywhere you are asking someone to take action: contact page, email sign-up page, promotions pages, etc.

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered!

Grab my free “Awesome Testimonials” kickstart guide below and get your hands on my exact email template and questionaire that helps my clients write powerful, compelling testimonials. My kickstart guide below which outlines all of the questions I ask to get killer testimonials that move a prospect to say “heck yes, I need to work with her too!”

Snag your free Testimonial Kickstart Guide here