How You Can Use Testimonials & Build Trust – Need Templates?

Donna Ward

You already know that a testimonial describes how a product or service helped a previous client. Business owners often ask satisfied clients for testimonials based on their questions.

Why are testimonials so influential?

  • Testimonials are an effective way to market your business, product, or services.
  • Helping prospective clients see your business through the eyes of others similar to them makes them feel more comfortable buying from you or even giving you their emails.
  • They are giving others information about their experiences with you and your business.

Valuable Ways Audio And Video Messages Can Build Trust 🤝🏼

What if you used a method of combining consistency by sharing a weekly video message to grow your audience’s trust even more quickly?

     And by asking your audience to like, comment, and share, you’ll boost your reach and audience. As a bonus, here’s something to think about. 

Among those reviewers are movie rating sites, movie trailers in a theater, movie critics who are still trusted sources, and TV commercials.

  • However, when a friend recommends a movie they’ve seen, what they say is listened to more often.
  • It’s easier to trust someone’s recommendation who doesn’t have a vested interest or isn’t being paid to recommend an offering.

Unlike an advertisement or marketing message, it doesn’t have a commercial purpose. 

Your goal is always to build trust. 

  • And building trust is the purpose of testimonials and shows why testimonials are powerful for your business.

I once read, “In business, only two things matter. These are reality and perception. However, reality only matters to the extent that it influences perception.”

As a business, you want to recognize how and what to create and talk about your product passionately as you communicate about merchandise your ideal client will want and desire to buy.

How Do You Get Testimonials? 

Well, I sometimes ask. Most of my testimonials have come in on their own from different fabulous people I’ve worked with.

Please review some of those fabulous and kind testimonials @ Woo-hoo Testimonials.

To win over more potential clients nowadays, you must rely on testimonials and word-of-mouth referrals from your existing clients. But how can you request a recommendation?

  • Take a proactive approach by asking your clients for testimonials. If they love what you do, they’ll be happy to share. 
  1.  Could you give them a reason? They might need a reason to say yes. 
  2.  I always offer to link back to their social media site or their blog.
  3.  Let them choose how long their testimonial should be.

What to Include In A Good Testimonial? 

Always ask for consent before including an individual’s words from a conversation or an email. Ask them if they would like you to use their full name (depending on your niche and potential audience). For those in biz-to-biz niches, using someone’s first name coupled with their last name or initial helps build credibility and trust between your business and the individual sharing such kind words about it. It builds trust. 

Where And How Can You Use Testimonials To Build Trust? 

So, where do you use these testimonials? 

  • Everywhere you can. Your social media homepage, opt-in offers, blog posts, and about pages are great places to start. Anything specific to your products and services should go on the sales page. You can easily add them to the bottom of your sales page. It can significantly influence potential clients to click the “purchase” button or accept the free offer.

Testimonials are a terrific method to promote your product and services on social media while driving traffic without getting across as pushy. Share a few weekly testimonials and rotate through them, sharing them again and again. 

Ready to give it a try? 

You probably already have some testimonials that you can use. Look through your emails and comments on social media. Ask permission to use their emailed testimonial or comments they shared it you and or online in your marketing. If it’s something like a Facebook comment, take a screenshot. For an emailed testimonial, ask if you can use the person’s name and an online URL or location. Ask for a picture with the testimonial, but go ahead and use it without an image if you have none. 

From there, get into the habit of asking for testimonials, keeping an eye out for unsolicited ones, and using them anywhere you can. It’ll go a long way toward building trust and social proof with your target audience. 

Prospective clients have less faith in conventional corporate communication than ever before, including marketing, advertising, and sales.

  • Your most persuasive sales pitch for your business comes from your devoted consumers.

Here is an example of a bit longer testimonial:

“I wanted to let you know that you guys do an excellent job. It’s remarkable how easy your websites are to update and manage. I’m glad I decided to work with you.”

Here’s an idea to help your clients with their testimonials. 

The template follows a 3-part form : 

#1. Clarify what the situation was before a service or products were used.

#2. Briefly share what and why like(d) the product or services you purchased or used 

#3. Explain briefly how your life (business) is better because of the service and/or product.

This second template example of a testimonial shares how a hesitation or objection was taken care of that helped someone make a purchase or hire someone (you).

This template for a testimonial works great also an added selling tool. If one person hesitates to buy, others may hesitate, possibly for the same reasons. In sharing why they made the purchase and why they are glad for it, your client can help remove that objection from others.

The template works with these steps:

#1. Describe the reasons why they hesitated to make the purchase.

#2. This part is optional, but they could describe why they decided to proceed (see the second example below).

#3. Let us know how the product or service met your expectations

#4. Give an example of how your life or business was improved by the changes offered in these services or products.

Ask your client for input, and then you write the testimonial to help you get a more powerful testimonial. To get the correct helpful information, ask: What was their situation before hiring or investing with you? What helped them decide to buy from you? And why did that help with their decision? To get the correct input, ask your client:

  • Before they hired you or bought from you, what was their situation?
  • If you offered them the chance to purchase from you, did they hesitate? Why do you think so?
  • What was their feeling about or experience with your product or operation involving? What did they value?
  • How has your product or services helped their lives or businesses?

Here is a testimonial from one of my coaching one-on-one clients:

 

Donna Ward
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