How to Get (and Use) Testimonials

Details

Written by Karen Hodgson

Testimonials can work magic for your business by building trust and credibility with prospective clients. But like any magic, they must be used responsibly.

Why testimonials work

Testimonials operate on the basis of “social proof,” the psychological phenomenon in which people look to others in an attempt to make the right decision in a particular situation. In a 2013 survey conducted by Dimensional Research, 90 percent of respondents claimed that positive online reviews influenced their buying decisions.

Testimonials give you the opportunity to provide proof about your services. Make it easy for potential clients to see what others are saying about your and your company by adding testimonials to your website and marketing materials.

Many ways to praise

Testimonials can come in a variety of forms:

1. Text written by your client that you post on your website or other marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, and so forth.
2. Text you write on behalf of a busy client who might never get around to it (this must first be approved by the client, of course).
3. Edited text (again, only with permission). For example, you might alter a client’s thank-you note to you by adding relevant project details and then ask for permission to use the rewrite.
4. Reviews written by your client and posted on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.
5. Audio or video testimonials from your client.
6. New referrals and introductions to other prospective clients.

Strike while the iron is hot

Make it a habit to ask your clients for a review after each successful translation or interpreting project. You will be amazed by how happy people are to provide you with a testimonial.

One way we solicit client reviews at Translationz is by sending out a thank-you email that includes a request for a testimonial. We also include links to our Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ pages.

Google+ reviews can be very useful in search engine optimization, but Google does not make leaving a review easy, so we developed a graphic to walk our customers through the process. Here is the link: http://translationjournal.net/Google-Review/google-reviews.html

Always ask permission

Make sure your clients approve of your intended use of their testimonials. You are probably already receiving thanks for your services, but this alone does not give you the green light to make private comments public.

We made this mistake early on in our business. A client gave Translationz a positive review which we used without first confirming that we could publish the testimonial. It was a slipup that we deeply regretted, but we learned from our mistake: today we always follow strict procedures before using client reviews.

So, don’t just assume that any compliments you receive can be made public on your website or marketing materials – play it safe and always ask permission first.

To read about What to Include in Testimonials and How to Display click here