Placing testimonials on your marketing materials can increase your credibility, says Rosemary Smyth, owner of Rosemary Smyth and Associates in Victoria.
Having real people say they have had a positive experience working with you, she says, makes your marketing message more believable.
Testimonials can come from your current clients, centres of influence or members of your community.
Before approaching people about comments, however, find out about your firm’s policy on testimonials. Firms differ in the way they regulate their advisors’ marketing content.
If you have received the go-ahead from your compliance department, here are three points to keep in mind as you pursue these complimentary statements:
> Don’t ask
Asking for an endorsement can be awkward; it’s like asking for a thank-you card. Instead, wait for an opportunity, such as one in which a client is providing positive feedback.
If a client thanks you for a service you provided or is being complimentary during a review meeting, Smyth says, ask if he or she would mind putting that comment in writing.
Get into the habit of making similar requests whenever you receive compliments from clients. You will eventually build an assortment to choose from and you can use the best comments when needed.
> Be clear on their purpose
Ensure that the provider of the testimonial understands where and how it will be used.
“People are very wary about privacy,” Smyth says. “So be very clear about what you’re doing with these comments.”
Smyth suggests using only the commenter’s initials and his or her profession, even if your firm allows you to use full names.
If you are not sure when the testimonial will be used, say so. Otherwise, the client might keep looking for it and be disappointed.
It is also a good idea to inform your client of the appropriate length. Let you him or her know if you need only two or three sentences, so this person won’t think you are looking for a short essay. That would just lead to unnecessary work for you both.
> Ensure testimonials relate to your expertise
If you have a specialty, collect testimonials that refer to the work you do in that area.
Perhaps you have a client who is thrilled to be retiring on schedule thanks to the retirement plan you created for him. If your client base consists of middle-aged people preparing for retirement and you want to attract more, this type of testimonial would be useful.
If this client does not represent your target market and you are prospecting for young business owners, the testimonial will not be as effective.
“Collect testimonials,” Smyth says, “and then choose the one that suits you.”