A satisfied client can be your most effective salesperson. Testimonials from your clients can enhance your credibility and open the door to referrals and new clients.
When you use testimonials, says Prem Malik, financial advisor with Queensbury Securities Inc. in Toronto, you are getting existing clients to influence prospects to work with you. “Testimonials are a powerful tool that signifies that clients are happy with you as their advisor,” Malik says.
You can place testimonials in your printed marketing materials, on your website, on your blog or on social media such as Linkedin.
Here are some ways you can gather client endorsements and make the best use of them:
> Ask for comments
Solicit feedback from clients regarding the aspects of your relationship that they have found particularly helpful.
For example, ask your clients: “How exactly have I helped you? What would you say are the benefits of working with me?”
Heather Holjevac, a financial advisor with TriDelta Partners in Oakville, Ont., suggests asking direct questions such as: “What is the No.1 reason why you have continued to work with me?”
The answer to that question will provide you with relevant touch points that can be addressed in a testimonial.
You can ask for feedback during client meetings, at client appreciation events or through customer satisfaction surveys. If a client makes a particularly complimentary and relevant comment, you can ask for permission to use that comment as an endorsement and attribute it to that client.
> Be specific
A client stating that you are a “good person to work with” simply does not cut it.
Testimonials should focus on specific aspects of work you have done with clients and the value you have provided.
And these endorsements should be in the client’s own words, Holjevac says: “Use what the client says, and don’t add ‘industry speak.’ Get clients to tell stories about how you have helped them because people can relate to stories.”
This adds credibility and allows prospects to relate to the experiences of existing clients. “It is human nature to identify with individuals in similar situations,” she says.
As well, Holjevac adds, try to get testimonials that are geared toward your target market. If you serve a diverse market or provide a wide range of services, try for a mix of testimonials that represent key areas of your practice.
> Be authentic
Testimonials should be “authentic, honest, factual and truthful,” Malik says. To ensure authenticity, get clients’ permission to use their full names instead of just their initials.
Malik has displayed testimonials on LinkedIn, with the names of clients disclosed, so prospects can verify the authenticity of the person providing each testimonial.
> Keep it fresh
Once you have gathered and posted a number of testimonials, you should refresh them periodically. Holjevac replaces testimonials frequently in her marketing materials and maintains an archive on her website.
There is no consensus on how many current testimonials you should have. Malik says his testimonials on LinkedIn are always there for prospects to see. Different prospects can relate to different client experiences, he says, and you can never tell which testimonial will influence a given prospect.